Congress vice-president Rahul
Gandhi on Thursday withdrew his appeal from the Supreme Court for quashing of
the defamation case against him by the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) over
his remarks that the saffron organisation was responsible for Mahatma Gandhi’s
assassination.
Former law minister and Congress
leader Kapil Sibal, who appeared for Gandhi, told the apex court that Rahul
stands by his statement-“RSS ke logon ne Gandhi ji ko goli mari”.
“He will not withdraw his words
and is ready to face trial,” Sibbal told the apex court.
Meanwhile, the top court refused
to grant the Congress vice-president exemption from personal appearance before
lower court in the defamation case.
Sibbal had on August 24 told the
Supreme Court that Rahul never accused the RSS as an institution for the crime.
“’RSS ke logon ne hatya ki’ is
entirely different from ‘RSS had killed Mahatma Gandhi,” Sibbal had told the
apex court.
The RSS, the ideological mentor
of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) filed a defamation case against Gandhi for
his speech at a rally in Bhiwandi, Maharashtra in 2014.
Rahul had alleged that RSS
members had assassinated Mahatma Gandhi on January 30, 1948. Gandhi was
reported as saying, “RSS people killed Gandhi ji. They opposed Sardar Patel and
Gandhi ji.”
Gandhi moved the Supreme Court in
May 2015 seeking a stay on the Bombay High Court order dismissing his plea for
quashing the defamation case.
On July 19, the apex court
remarked against Gandhi for indulging in ‘collective denunciation’ against an
organisation and said it’s wrong.
It said the Rahul Gandhi might
have to face the trial to prove his defence that his statement was an assertion
of a historical fact.
Gandhi’s counsel told the court
that he was within his right to free speech. They have maintained that the
complaint is motivated and malafide and should be quashed.
Courtesy: ANI
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