Rahul Gandhi reaches Mumbai ahead of Bhiwandi court appearance in 2014 RSS defamation case

The local administration in Bhiwandi has tightened the security arrangements ahead of Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi's appearance in the Additional Sessions Court in the 2014 RSS defamation case.

Earlier, former Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil had acted as Rahul Gandhi's surety for bail. Following Patil's demise, Rahul Gandhi will have to provide a new surety before the court today.

Thane police have further strengthened security in and around the court premises. Shops within a 100-meter radius of the court have also been closed as a precautionary measure. The heightened security comes ahead of the high-profile court appearance of the Congress leader.

Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal said that Rahul Gandhi is their leader and is appearing in court to follow the legal process. He added that the Congress leader is being targeted because he has exposed what they consider the "true face" of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"He is our leader, and he is coming for the legal process... It is obvious that Rahul Gandhi has exposed the true face of the BJP and PM Modi. That is why he is being targeted in this manner," Sapkal told ANI.

Congress leader Aslam Sheikh described the case as an attempt to suppress and harass Gandhi but emphasised that neither he nor the Gandhi family would be deterred or apologise, and the party would continue to fight against the ruling party.

"This case has been filed against him to suppress and harass him, but I don't think the Gandhi family will be deterred by this or apologise. Rahul Gandhi and the entire Congress party will continue to fight against them until the end," he told ANI.

Another Congress leader, Arif Naseem Khan, said that whenever Rahul Gandhi raises his voice against corruption, conspiracies, or injustices by the BJP government, he becomes a target, and this case is part of that ongoing pattern of political harassment.

"Whenever Rahul Gandhi works to protect the country and its people, whenever he raises his voice against the atrocities, corruption, and conspiracies of the BJP government to weaken the country, he raises his voice. Whenever he raises the voice of the people of the country, he is targeted, and this is part of that," Khan told ANI.

A local Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) functionary, Rajesh Kunte, had filed the case against Gandhi for claiming at an election rally on March 6, 2014, that the right-wing organisation had killed Mahatma Gandhi.

In September 2016 Gandhi withdrew his petition filed in the apex court, challenging the case and said he would face the trial.

He expressed his readiness to face the trial after the top court refused to interfere with the criminal proceedings pending against him before the trial court. (ANI)