Rahul's utterances on Modi's surname were abusive, not critical, says BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad

While addressing the press conference in Patna, Prasad said, "Rahul's utterances on Modi's surname were abusive, not critical and that the BJP is going launch a stir against his insult to OBCs."

Prasad further said, "You have the right to criticise. You don't have the right to abuse and insult. He (Rahul Gandhi) abused and insulted (a backward community) in a public meeting. The court gave him a chance to apologise. He said he won't apologise."

While reacting to the first presser of Rahul Gandhi's post-disqualification as MP, Prasad said, "He (Rahul Gandhi) addressed a press conference in Delhi and did not say anything on the matter (On his conviction in the 2019 defamation case). He tried to mislead again."

He added, "In his press conference, Rahul Gandhi tried to make false statements & did not speak on the subject. Rahul Gandhi has been punished for his speech in 2019. Today he said that 'I speak thoughtfully' which means whatever Rahul Gandhi said in 2019, it was spoken thoughtfully."

A day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha, he said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Central government was scared of his questions on Adani and that democracy was under attack.

Stating that he was not scared of threats, disqualification and prison sentences, Rahul Gandhi said that he will not "back down" from asking questions on the Adani stocks issue.

He was addressing his first press conference after being disqualified from the Lok Sabha after a Surat court convicted him in a 2019 criminal defamation case.

On Friday, Gandhi was disqualified as a member of the Lok Sabha, a day after his conviction by the Surat court in a defamation case.

On Thursday, a Surat court sentenced Rahul Gandhi to two years imprisonment in a defamation case filed against him over his 'Modi surname' remark. In April 2019, he made the remark "how come all thieves have Modi as the common surname" at a Lok Sabha election rally at Kolar in Karnataka. The court approved Gandhi's bail on a surety and stayed the sentence for 30 days to allow him to approach the higher courts.

The Congress party on Friday came down heavily at the Centre over the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi as a Lok Sabha member, calling it a "strangulation of democracy" while exuding confidence that the disqualification will be revoked through a stay on his conviction by a higher court.

Earlier on Friday, BJP National President JP Nadda criticized Rahul Gandhi for his remarks which led to his conviction by the Surat court followed by his disqualification from Lok Sabha. (ANI)