South Africa files defamation case against Indian Prime Minister Modi in International Court of Justice

Mohammed Chand Shaikh Blog Post No. 149. Date : 12.10.2015. 

World News Express , Cape Town:  After Indian Prime Minister Modi’s tweet comparing Parkash Singh Badal, an Indian politician with South Africa’s father of nation, Nelson Mandela, the Government of South Africa filed defamation case against the leader of India in the International Court of Justice, Hague.

PM Modi said: “There is a special family about whom pages are  written in history even if their fingernails break. Very few people know that Badal Saheb is Nelson Mandela of India, who has spent nearly two decades in jail only because of political differences.”

Prime Minister Modi tweeted the following,

After tweet, Twitterati started trending ##YoBadalSoMandela to protest against the Prime Minister of India’s statement.

“It’s a complete insult to our Father of Nation by comparing India’s ordinary politician”, a netizen from South Africa tweeted.

To calm down the protest situation in South Africa, the Government of South Africa filed a defamation case against the Indian Prime Minister Modi in the International Court of Justice, Hague for the insulting father of the nation of the country.

International Court of Justice, Image Credit: MercoPress (South Atlantic News Agency)

“Our government filed a defamation case against the Indian Prime Minister Modi personally, but our relationship with India will not be affected. We share a strong relationship with India since centuries”, said by an official of the Federal Government of South Africa on condition of anonymity to the World News Express.

“It’s a serious defamation case and International Court of Justice will act according to international law”, said an expert of international law to the World News Express in a telephonic talk on condition of anonymity.

“South Africa used our father of the nation’s name with Nelson Mandela by saying South Africa’s Gandhi. So, we used the Nelson Mandela’s name to give respect to our respected leader Parkash Singh Badal by saying India’s Nelson Mandela”, said by intellectual BJP and Modi supporter to World News Express.

News first published on October 12, 2015 @ 12:30 PM (IST).