Indian Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury said she will file a defamation case against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the alleged 'Surpanakha' comment made in Parliament in 2018.

"Let's see how fast courts will act now...' the former Indian minister said tweeting the old clip of Narendra Modi asking the Rajya Sabha chairman to allow Renuka Chowdhury to continue as such laughter was heard days after the Ramayana serial used to be telecast.

"This classless megalomaniac referred to me as Surpanakha on the floor of the house," Renuka Chowdhury said after Rahul Gandhi on Thursday was convicted in a 2019 defamation case for saying ‘how come all thieves have Modi surname’. 

https://twitter.com/RenukaCCongress/status/1638927867018092545

https://twitter.com/digvijaya_28/status/1639083106350297088

Rahul Gandhi was sentenced to two years of jail which was suspended for 30 days before which he will have to appeal against the court order. The Congress leader was reminded by social media users that PM Modi did not mention the word Surpankha and she can't move to the court on a statement made in Parliament.

"Rahul Gandhi chose not to apologise for fighting against corruption. He chose not to apologise for fighting against fascism. He chose not to apologise for speaking the truth," Renuka Chowdhury tweeted.

The Surat court verdict has met several questions and condemnation from opposition leaders who accused the government of silencing the voice of the opposition leaders through agencies like ED, CBI or through FIRs, defamation cases.

The Congress will hold a protest march from Parliament to Vijay Chowk on Friday. A meeting with other opposition leaders has also been planned as several non-Congress chief ministers, opposition leaders have spoken against the verdict and extended support to Rahul Gandhi.

Surspanakha row: What did PM Modi say in 2018?
The row dates back to February 7, 2018 when PM Modi was speaking in the Rajya Sabha amid interruption from the opposition. Congress's Renuka Chowdhury laughed inviting a rebuke from then-chairman Venkaiah Naidu. "Sabhapati Ji, meri aapko prarthana hai Renuka Ji ko aap Kuch mat kahiye. Ramayan serial ke baad aise hasi sunane ka aaj saubhagya mila hai (Respected chairman, I request you to not say anything to Renuka ji. After Ramayan serial, got the opportunity to hear such laughter for the first time)," PM Modi said.