Congress Vice President, Rahul Gandhi on Thursday hinted that he blames the RSS and its agenda for Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, adding that “I stand by every single word I said.”
The Gandhi scion assured his supporters in a combative tone that he will continue his fight against the hateful and divisive agenda of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
However, Rahul, accompanied a video with the tweet, where he appears to be playing with his words. The video titled “RSS people Killed Gandhiji” on face value at least echoes what he said in court on Wednesday.
Congress Backs the Gandhi Scion
Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Thursday backed Rahul Gandhi’s statement to the court and dismissed suggestions that Rahul Gandhi has done a U-turn in the Supreme Court on the RSS.
The veteran leader added that the party Vice President stands by his assertion that the person who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi was from the organisation.
Rahul’s U-Turn in Court
Earlier, Gandhi had told the Supreme Court that he had never blamed the RSS as an institution in the killing of Mahatma Gandhi, but had stated that a person associated with the organisation was responsible for his assassination.
Rahul Gandhi’s counsel, Kapil Sibal made the observation before a bench of Justice Dipak Misra and Justice RF Nariman, while referring to an affidavit filed by Gandhi before the Bombay High Court challenging the defamation proceedings against him by a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker.
The bench, which posted the matter for 1 September, noted the Congress leader’s affidavit and asked the complainant’s counsel and senior advocate UR Lalit to seek instruction whether the complainant was ready to end the case if Gandhi’s statement is taken on record.
What we understand is that the accused never blamed RSS as an institution that killed Mahatma Gandhi but the person associated with it.Bench of the Apex Court
The apex court, on 27 July, had criticised the trial court in Maharashtra for asking the police to probe the criminal defamation complaint lodged against Gandhi for his remarks.
The apex court’s criticism had come after the same bench said that the Congress leader should not have resorted to “collective denunciation” of an organisation (RSS) and will have to face trial if he does not express regret.
Rajesh Mahadev Kunte, secretary of Bhiwandi unit of the RSS, had alleged in his complaint that Gandhi told in an election rally at Sonale on 6 March 2015 that the “RSS people killed Gandhiji”.
(With PTI inputs)
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