Nyay Yatra on hold as Rahul Gandhi to appear before court in defamation case

Congress' Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra halted Tuesday morning, as party leader Rahul Gandhi was summoned by an Uttar Pradesh court in a 2018 defamation case.

“Rahul Gandhi has been issued a summons to appear in the District Civil Court in Sultanpur tomorrow, February 20th, morning in connection with a defamation case filed by a BJP leader on August 4th, 2018. The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will, therefore, pause tomorrow morning and will resume the February 20th program at 2 pm from Fursatganj in Amethi,” Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh posted on X on Monday.

The case was filed after Gandhi allegedly called Union Home Minister Amit Shah a murderer in a public speech in Bengaluru during the 2018 election campaign.

After he appears before court, Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Malikarjun Kharge are scheduled to address a public meeting in Babuganj, Amethi.

The Yatra on Monday entered Rahul Gandhi's erstwhile constituency, where the Congress hopes to win back voters it lost in the 2019 general elections. The 3-time MP from Amethi was defeated by Union Minister Smriti Irani, who is also in her constituency for a four-day tour.