Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 23 (IANS): The Congress in Kerala will on Thursday hold a state-wide protest against the Surat district court's verdict convicting party MP Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case over his alleged "Modi surname" remark in 2019.

"We will take to the streets gagging our mouths all across the state this evening," a party source said.

According to the source, the protest is against the manner in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is curbing the freedom of expression. All democracy-loving people have been requested to join them.

Gandhi is a Lok Sabha member from the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala.

It was the Surat district court, Chief Judicial Magistrate H.H. Varma who sentenced Gandhi to two years in jail and also imposed a fine of Rs 15,000 after finding him guilty.

However, on Gandhi's plea, his sentence was suspended and a bail granted to enable him to move an appeal against his conviction within 30 days.