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Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi (right) was found guilty and sentenced to two years in prison on Thursday in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his remarks about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surname by a court in Gujarat's Surat.
But he was granted bail and his sentence was suspended for 30 days to give him time to appeal the decision.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi filed the case against Mr Gandhi for saying, "How come all thieves have the common surname Modi?"
The Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad (Kerala) made the remark during a rally at Kolar in Karnataka ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, targeting PM Modi and fugitive businessmen Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi.
On Thursday, Mr Gandhi told the court that his comment was not against any community.
The Congress said the case against him was brought on by a "cowardly and dictatorial" BJP government because he was "exposing their dark deeds".
"The Modi government is a victim of political bankruptcy", Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said on Twitter. "We will appeal in the higher court."
In his first comment after the verdict, Mr Gandhi, one of Mr Modi's main rivals ahead of the 2024 general election, quoted Mahatma Gandhi in a tweet in Hindi: "My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God, non-violence the means to get it."
His sister and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted: "Scared rulers are pulling out all stops to suppress the voice of @RahulGandhi.
"My brother has never been afraid, nor will he ever be. He will continue to speak the truth. Will continue to raise the voice of the people of the country. The power of truth and the love of crores of countrymen are with him."
Mr Gandhi arrived in Surat earlier in the day for the verdict and was received by top leaders of the Congress' Gujarat unit.
Supporters and members of the party also turned up in a display of solidarity, carrying posters extolling him as "Sher-e-Hindustan" (Lion of India) and placards declaring "Congress will not bow before the dictatorship of the BJP".
Following the conviction, Gandhi earned a rare show of support from Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal, who tweeted he "disagreed" with the verdict.
"A conspiracy is being hatched to eliminate non-BJP leaders and parties by prosecuting them," he wrote.
"We have differences with the Congress, but it is not right to implicate Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case like this. It is the job of the public and the opposition to ask questions. We respect the court but disagree with the decision."
The BJP said no one was above the law.
"The law of India has it that if an individual or an organisation has been defamed with scurrilous statements, scandalous comments, abuses or any defamatory remarks, then he or she has a right to seek redress," BJP lawmaker Ravi Shankar Prasad said. "But the Congress party has an objection with this; it wants complete freedom for Rahul Gandhi to utter abuses."
Union minister Kiren Rijiju said whatever Mr Gandhi says is dangerous not only for the party, but also for the country. "Even his party leaders tell me that the party is sinking because of Rahul Gandhi's comments."
BJP's Amit Malviya said the comment was casteist and defamatory, and targeted a section of society. "He is flippant and dangerous, who has no compunction deriding India and Indians. He recently pleaded for Europe and US intervention in India's internal affairs. Shameful."
Senior Congress leader and MLA Arjun Modhwadia said: "Truth is put to test and is harassed, but truth alone prevails. Several false cases have been filed against Gandhi, but he will emerge from all these. We will get justice."
Gandhi previously appeared before the Surat court in October 2021 to record his statement.
Indo-Asian News Service, Reuters
"Scared rulers are pulling out all stops to suppress the voice of @RahulGandhi. My brother has never been afraid, nor will he ever be. He will continue to speak the truth. Will continue to raise the voice of the people of the country. "
- Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi
