New Delhi/IBNS: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday called his disqualification from the Lok Sabha "a panic reaction" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.

In his first presser post disqualification, Rahul ripped apart Modi saying the Prime Minister "scared" that "the truth over Adani issue" will be revealed.

Rahul said, "It's a panic reaction. It will help the Opposition. He (PM Modi)  is scared the truth over the Adani issue will come out. Questions are raising as to why the Prime Minister is saving Adani."

"My job, as I see it, is to defend the democratic nature of this nature. I will do whatever I have to do to defend the democratic nature of this country," the Congress leader added.

Rahul was disqualified on Friday after a court in Gujarat's Surat convicted him in a defamation case and sentenced the leader to two-year jail.

The defamation case was filed over Rahul's 2019 remark on Modi surname.

Shortly after he was convicted, Rahul, who was elected from Kerala's Wayanad, was granted bail.

He was convicted under the IPC Section 504.

During the 2019 Lok Sabha poll campaign, Rahul had said, "How come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname."

A complaint, which was lodged by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Purnesh Modi, had claimed Rahul had defamed the entire Modi community.