Gujarat BJP MLA files criminal defamation complaint against Rahul Gandhi over 'all Modis are thieves' remark

Gujarat BJP MLA has filed a criminal defamation complaint in a court here against Congress president Rahul Gandhi over his "why all the thieves have Modi in their name" barb. In his complaint filed Monday, the MLA, Purnesh Modi, claimed Gandhi, with his statement, has defamed the entire Modi community.

The complaint was filed in the sessions court here under IPC sections 499 and 500, both dealing with defamation, and the matter will come up for hearing on April 22. The ruling party MLA from Surat (West) said the Congress president was defaming the entire Modi community by saying all "Modis are thieves".

He referred to an election rally at Kolar in Karnataka on April 13, where Gandhi asked, "Why all the thieves have Modi in their names, be it Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi and Narendra Modi?"

"There is a large number of people with Modi surname. Does it mean all members of the Modi community are thieves? He has defamed the community and also me as I carry the surname," He said.

"This is why we have moved a complaint (against Gandhi) in a Surat court under IPC sections 499 and 500," he said.

"The court at Surat will next hear the case on April 22," Purnesh Modi said.

BJP leader and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi also Tuesday threatened to sue Gandhi over his remarks regarding the Modi surname.

"I was deeply hurt by Rahul Gandhi's statement wherein he remarked that all those who are 'chor' (thieves) shared the Modi surname," Sushil Modi was quoted as saying.

Earlier, a defamation suit was filed against Congress president Rahul Gandhi in a court in Bhopal on Monday over the same remark.

“I have faced a lot of insult because of his remark. A lot of people asked if all Modis are thieves and hence I filed the suit,” said Pradeep Modi, the petitioner.

The Congress president on April 13, while taking a jibe at Prime Minister Modi, had reportedly said:

“I have a question. Why do all thieves have Modi in their names — whether it is Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi or Narendra Modi? We don’t know how many more such Modis will come out.”

READ: Up In Arms Against Rahul Gandhi, BJP's Sushil Modi To File Defamation Suit For Congress Chief's 'Sarre Modi Chor ' Remark