SURAT: Political temperature is high in the Diamond City as top national and state-level Congress leaders are reaching the city on Monday where Rahul Gandhi is to file an appeal in sessions court to challenge his conviction by a court of chief judicial magistrate and two years imprisonment in defamation case.
Meanwhile, heavy police bandobast has been installed at city airport, district and sessions court in Surat in Athwalines, circuit house and other locations where Congress leaders are present and likely to visit.
Meanwhile, police kept watch at the residence of Congress leaders across south Gujarat and they were not allowed to leave home since early hours on Monday. The leaders were to reach the city with supporters.
“Our leaders from all districts of south Gujarat are not being allowed to leave their homes. Police have reached there since early hours. The leaders and workers were to come to the city to support Rahul,” said Anup Rajput, spokesperson, Surat Congress.
“Police have started reaching residences of around 500 Congress leaders in central Gujarat and south Gujarat since 8 pm on Sunday. They are not being allowed to come to Surat to support Rahul Gandhi,” said Jagdish Thakore, Gujarat Congress president.
Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot has already reached the city. Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi, P Chidambaram, Digvijay Singh, K C Venugopal, Shaktisinh Gohil and Bhupesh Baghel are likely to reach the city.
On March 23, Rahul Gandhi was convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment in a criminal defamation case filed in 2019 by BJP MLA Purnesh Modi for his remarks “how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?”