Law Minister Kiren Rijiju alleged on Monday that the decision of Congress leaders to accompany Rahul Gandhi to a Surat court, where he will file an appeal against his conviction in a criminal defamation case, was a way of trying to exert “undue pressure” on the judiciary, a charge rejected by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, who said it was a symbol of support and not a show of strength.

Gandhi will be in Gujarat’s Surat city on Monday to file the appeal in a court against his conviction in the 2019 criminal defamation case over his “Modi surname” remarks.

Senior Congress leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the chief ministers of three party-ruled states, other national and state leaders are likely to accompany him to the court, sources said.

Gandhi’s lawyers said the matter is likely to be taken up for hearing by the sessions court on Monday itself.

“My point is very simple — why the Congress party is trying to put this kind of undue pressure on the judiciary? There are means and ways to deal with judicial matters. But is this the way?” Rijiju asked while talking to reporters in the Parliament House complex here.

He wondered whether there has ever been a case in the past where an entire political party tried to “gherao” a court.

“When former prime minister P V Narasimha Rao was convicted Congress was quiet. P Chidambaram and D K Shivakumar didn’t get support against charges for which they are out on bail,” the law minister tweeted.

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Read: Rahul Gandhi to file appeal in Gujarat court on April 3 against conviction in defamation case