Rahul Gandhi appears before Guwahati court

XATRA DEFAMATION CASE

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Sept 29: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi appeared before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Kamrup (M) on Thursday in a crimil defamation case filed by one Anjan Kumar Bora over an incident in 2015 in which the Congress vice-president was allegedly prevented by RSS supporters from entering a xatra.

Bora had filed the suit (CR 559/16) against Gandhi and the court of CJM, Kamrup (M), after examining different witnesses, had asked Gandhi to appear before it. The case was filed against him for making false statements to tarnish the image of RSS. The court has fixed the date of next hearing in the case on November 5.

The case is regarding Gandhi’s visit to the Barpeta Xatra, a 16th century Vaishvite mostery, on December 12 last year. He was supposed to enter the xatra before taking part in a road show organized nearby, but did not do so and instead participated in the road show directly.

Later in New Delhi, he told mediapersons that some RSS workers prevented him from entering the xatra. He also alleged that the RSS incited local women and placed them at the gate of the xatra to block his entry.

Rahul Gandhi reached here at around 9 am and appeared before the court at around 10 am. He was allowed to go after putting up a Persol Recognisance (PR) bond of Rs 50,000. “He (Rahul Gandhi) has appeared before the court and has been allowed to go on a bond of Rs 50, 000,” said Bijan Mahajan, the RSS lawyer.

After coming out of court, the Congress vice-president went all guns blazing at the RSS for their ‘divisive’ ideology, saying he would not be deterred and would continue to fight for the poor and unemployed youths, for the unity and harmony of the country, ‘no matter how many cases are filed against him’.

“I am against the ideology of the RSS and all such other organizations, which is there to divide India and are harmful for this country. Regardless of religion, I am for the unity of this country and for the love and affection between its people,” said Gandhi.

“These cases are being lodged against me because I am fighting for the poor people of this country, because I am fighting for the rights of farmers, unemployed youths who have aspirations, who have dreams and who are being denied those aspirations because our government is running in the interest of 12 or 15 people. The idea is to make sure that I do not fight for the poor, for the unemployed youth,” he added.

The Congress vice-president is facing another crimil defamation charge in Maharashtra. The RSS filed a defamation case against Gandhi for his speech at a rally in Bhiwandi, Maharashtra, in 2014. In the speech, he had said that “people belonging to the RSS had killed Gandhiji and now they speak about Gandhi”.