New Delhi, Jul 7 (IANS): Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Friday alleged that the whole purpose of the defamation case against party leader Rahul Gandhi was to disqualify him from the Parliament and everything that followed is an attempt to justify his disqualification.

In a tweet, targeting the BJP government at the Centre, the former Union Minister said: "The whole purpose of the 'defamation' case against Rahul Gandhi was to disqualify him from Parliament. Everything that followed is an attempt to justify the disqualification.

"Let me repeat what I had said earlier: In the 162 years the Indian Penal Code has been in force, there has been no case of slander (verbal defamation) where a court has imposed the maximum punishment of two years. That fact says all about the case and the judgement of the trial court. One day, justice will be delivered."

His remarks came after the Gujarat High Court on Friday did not stay the session court judgement convicting Rahul Gandhi in the 'Modi surname' defamation case.

Rahul Gandhi, after his conviction on March 23 by the Surat court, was disqualified as a Lok Sabha MP on March 24.