<p>Soon after a Surat court granted bail to Rahul Gandhi in a 2019 defamation case, the Congress leader on Monday said this is a fight against "Mitrakaal" to save democracy and truth is his weapon in this struggle.</p>.<p>Gandhi was convicted by a lower court here and sentenced to prison for two years last month for a speech in which he linked Prime Minister Narendra Modi's last name with two fugitive businessmen, remarking how the "thieves" shared the same last name.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/mamata-greets-rahul-in-morning-attacks-him-in-evening-bjps-sambit-patra-1206248.html" target="_blank">Mamata greets Rahul in morning & attacks him in evening: BJP's Sambit Patra</a></strong><br /><br />Minutes after the hearing on Monday, Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi, "This is a fight against 'Mitrakaal' to save democracy. In this struggle, truth is my weapon, and truth is my support!"</p>.<p>Gandhi has been taking the 'Mitrakaal' jibe at the central government, accusing it of working to benefit its "crony capitalist friends".</p>.<p>A sessions court on Monday granted bail to Gandhi in the defamation case and will hear the matter on April 13, an official said.</p>.<p>The 52-year-old Congress leader reached Surat this afternoon via a scheduled commercial flight along with sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and proceeded to the sessions court to file an appeal against the ruling of the lower court.</p>.<p>The lower court had granted him bail for 30 days to appeal the verdict. A day later, he was disqualified as a member of the Lok Sabha.</p>
<p>Soon after a Surat court granted bail to Rahul Gandhi in a 2019 defamation case, the Congress leader on Monday said this is a fight against "Mitrakaal" to save democracy and truth is his weapon in this struggle.</p>.<p>Gandhi was convicted by a lower court here and sentenced to prison for two years last month for a speech in which he linked Prime Minister Narendra Modi's last name with two fugitive businessmen, remarking how the "thieves" shared the same last name.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/mamata-greets-rahul-in-morning-attacks-him-in-evening-bjps-sambit-patra-1206248.html" target="_blank">Mamata greets Rahul in morning & attacks him in evening: BJP's Sambit Patra</a></strong><br /><br />Minutes after the hearing on Monday, Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi, "This is a fight against 'Mitrakaal' to save democracy. In this struggle, truth is my weapon, and truth is my support!"</p>.<p>Gandhi has been taking the 'Mitrakaal' jibe at the central government, accusing it of working to benefit its "crony capitalist friends".</p>.<p>A sessions court on Monday granted bail to Gandhi in the defamation case and will hear the matter on April 13, an official said.</p>.<p>The 52-year-old Congress leader reached Surat this afternoon via a scheduled commercial flight along with sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and proceeded to the sessions court to file an appeal against the ruling of the lower court.</p>.<p>The lower court had granted him bail for 30 days to appeal the verdict. A day later, he was disqualified as a member of the Lok Sabha.</p>