America’s eye on Rahul Gandhi’s defamation case, State Department spokesperson gave this statement

United States of America is monitoring the court case of Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi. An official has observed that Washington stands with India on a shared commitment to democratic principles and protection of human rights, including freedom of expression. Rahul Gandhi was on March 23 sentenced to two years in prison by a Surat court in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his “why all thieves have Modi surname” remark. A day later, he was disqualified from the Lok Sabha from the date of his conviction in the case.

State Department Deputy Spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters at a press conference on March 27 that respect for the rule of law and judicial independence are the cornerstones of any democracy. We are pursuing Gandhi’s case in Indian courts and we stand with the Indian government on our shared commitment to democratic values, including freedom of expression. In our engagement with our Indian partners, we continue to highlight the importance of protecting human rights, including freedom of expression, and democratic principles as key to strengthening both our democracies.

Responding to a question, Patel said it is normal and standard for the United States to engage with members of opposition parties in any country where it has bilateral relations. Opposition parties in India stepped up their attacks against the Narendra Modi government and observed a “black day for democracy” on 27 March, three days after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha.