Senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra minister Balasaheb Thorat on Monday claimed vehicles of party workers, who were on way to Surat to extend support to Rahul Gandhi, were stopped by Gujarat Police.

Gandhi filed an appeal at a sessions in Surat against his conviction in a criminal defamation case over his "Modi surname" remarks.

Workers and leaders of the party from various parts of the country headed to Surat to extend support to Gandhi.

"From Maharashtra also, Congress leaders and workers were going to Gujarat. Gandhi is fighting for the country, fighting for democracy, fighting to save the Constitution," Thorat said in a social media post.

Several Congress workers and leaders headed to the Gujarat city to extend support to Gandhi and show that he is not alone in the fight, he said.

The vehicles of Congress leaders and workers were stopped, they were asked to pull over, and police were ensuring they do not capture the videos, claimed Thorat.

In nutshell, the Gujarat Police were ensuring the Congressmen do not reach Surat in any condition, and this is condemnable, he said.

"In a democracy, people will gather, they will express their views, but unfortunately their voice is being suppressed," Thorat claimed.

Congress MLA Yashomati Thakur, who was also headed to Surat, alleged they were being subjected to suppression since they were going to the Gujarat city in support of Gandhi.

Thakur claimed the Gujarat Police stopped her vehicle multiple times and inspected it in the name of security checks. "They are the same police who facilitated some MLAs from Maharashtra who went to Surat to bring down the then (MVA) government, but are now creating obstructions for us,” she alleged.

Thakur said when she questioned the police over frequent checks, she was told her interaction was being seen live in Gandhinagar (capital of Gujarat). I even told them that they can show the live feed of their action to the PMO,” she said.

“We treat all religions equally and stand for the Constitution. I also told them that they can put me in jail, but I will definitely go to Surat to extend support to Rahul Gandhi,” the former minister said.

Similar allegations were also made by Congress MLC and Mumbai Congress president Bhai Jagtap.

Rahul Gandhi reached Surat on Monday via a scheduled commercial flight along with sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

A sessions court in Surat on Monday granted bail to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case over his 2019 remark about the surname Modi.

The court will hear the matter on April 13, an official said.

Rahul Gandhi was convicted by a lower court in Surat on March 23 and sentenced to prison for two years for a speech in which he linked PM Modi's last name with two fugitive businessmen, remarking how the "thieves" shared the same last name.

A day later, the 52-year-old Congress leader was disqualified as a member of the Lok Sabha.

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