BJP's conspiratorial hounding of Rahul Gandhi exposed: Kharge

New Delhi, Aug 4 (IANS) Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday welcomed the Supreme Court judgement staying the conviction of Rahul Gandhi in ‘Modi surname’ remarks defamation case, saying truth alone triumphs and BJP’s conspiratorial hounding of the former party chief has been thoroughly exposed.

He also said that it is high time the BJP respect the mandate given by the people and start governing the country, on which they have "miserably failed" in the last 10 years.

In a tweet, Kharge said: “Truth Alone Triumphs. We welcome the verdict by the Supreme Court giving relief to Rahul Gandhi. Justice has been delivered. Democracy has won. The Constitution has been upheld. BJP’s conspiratorial hounding of (Rahul) Gandhi has been thoroughly exposed.

"Time for them to stop their malicious targeting of Opposition leaders. It is high time they respect the mandate given by the people and start governing the country, on which they have miserably failed in the last 10 years," Kharge, who is also the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha said.

Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram hailed the top court decision to stay conviction of Gandhi and said that the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla should immediately restore his membership.

In a tweet, Chidambaram said: "The Supreme Court's order today is a vindication of the argument that we have consistently pressed before every court -- from the Trial Court to the Supreme Court

"The Speaker of the Lok Sabha should immediately restore Rahul Gandhi's membership of the Lok Sabha Please remember that we have not been able to find a case where the court imposed the maximum punishment of 2 years for 'slander' in the last 162 years. We maintain that the case was manufactured with the sole intention of keeping Rahul Gandhi from Parliament," he added.

Indian Overseas Congress secretary Virendra Vashisth said that Rahul Gandhi will once again question in the Lok Sabha about the friendship. “When the no-confidence motion debate will take place in Parliament, the opposition (INDIA) will have the confidence and courage of today's victory in the court. The loud and courageous voice of the people of India will again echo in the House. Satyameva Jayate,” he added.

The remarks from the Congress leaders came after the Supreme Court on stayed the conviction of Rahul Gandhi in 'Modi surname' defamation case, which cost him his Lok Sabha membership, saying that no reasons were given by the trial judge for imposing the maximum punishment of two years in the case.