Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who was on Monday granted bail by a Surat court in criminal defamation case, where he has been convicted and sentenced, said that "truth" is his "weapon in this struggle".

In series of tweets in Hindi, Gandhi proclaimed that it was "a fight to save democracy" and against "mitra kaal", and "in this struggle, truth is my weapon and truth is my shelter".

Earlier, Rahul Gandhi reached Surat, accompanied by sister and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi while various Congress Chief Ministers received him at the airport.

Rahul Gandhi
Truth is my weapon in this struggle to save democracy: Rahul GandhiIANS

Thousands of Congress workers trooped down to Surat city but have been halted in their tracks and prevented from going there to express solidarity with senior leader Rahul Gandhi, party leaders said.

While the interim relief came for Rahul Gandhi, but not restoration of his status. On Monday, a sessions court in Surat granted bail to Rahul Gandhi, in the 2019 criminal defamation case over the "Modi surname" remark made by the Congress leader.

On March 23, Rahul Gandhi was convicted and sentenced to two years in jail by Surat court. In a show of solidarity, Rahul Gandhi was accompanied by senior Congress leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi and Chief Ministers of three Congress-ruled states.

Rahul Gandhi disqualified from Lok Sabha; Cong says Indian democracy

During an election speech made in Kolar in April 2019, Gandhi had said, "Why all thieves share the Modi surname?"

Following his conviction, he was immediately disqualified as a member of the Lok Sabha. On March 27, he was given a notice by the House committee to vacate his official bungalow at 12 Tughlak Lane within 30 days.

(With inputs from IANS)

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