Bharatiya Janata Party leader Shalabh Mani Tripathi on Friday filed a defamation case against Congress President Rahul Gandhi for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the party’s 84th plenary session in New Delhi on March 18, PTI reported.

“During the Congress party national conclave in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi tried to draw similarities between PM Modi, Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi,” Tripathi said. “He also said the name Modi had become synonymous with corruption. This remark has hurt the sentiments of BJP party workers and countrymen, and for this reason, I have filed a defamation case against him in a Deoria court.”

The Congress’ general secretary in Uttar Pradesh’s Deoria district, Anwar Hussain, said the party would keep opposing the government’s policies and its “failure” to check corruption. “It is our duty to raise issues related to the people of the country, and we will continue to do so,” he told reporters. “We are ready to face court cases and even jail for our country.”

The name Modi symbolises a nexus between India’s biggest crony capitalists and the prime minister, the Congress president had said in his speech. Gandhi had also criticised Modi for thinking that he is an “incarnation of God”.

The case will be heard on April 5, Tripathi’s lawyer said.