Rahul Gandhi appears in Bhiwandi court, submits new sureties in 2014 RSS defamation case

Gandhi submitted new sureties for his bail, following the demise of former Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, who had earlier acted as his surety.

Narayan Iyer, lawyer of Rahul Gandhi, stated that this is a defamation case filed by an RSS worker from Bhiwandi against him. He explained that the original surety, former Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, had passed away, necessitating a fresh surety. Iyer added that Rahul Gandhi and Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal were present for the procedure.

Iyer added that they have full faith in the judicial system and are confident that the truth will prevail. He emphasised that Rahul Gandhi is committed to pursuing the case and ensuring that the truth is presented to the public. The lawyer informed that evidence will be submitted at the appropriate time, and the court has scheduled the hearing for March.

"This case is a defamation case. An RSS worker from Bhiwandi had filed a defamation case against Rahul ji. The surety in this case, former home minister Shivraj Patil, passed away, and due to that, we had to give a fresh surety. For this, today, along with Rahul ji, our Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee President, Harshwardhan Sapkal ji, was present...We have faith that the truth of this case will come out, and we have complete faith in the judicial system. Rahul ji has made it completely clear that he is going to pursue the case, and whatever the truth is, it is necessary to present it before the whole world...We will present our evidence at the appropriate time. The hearing of the case will be held in March as per the direction of the court," Narayan Iyer told reporters.

Following Rahul Gandhi's arrival in Mumbai, Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal said that the Congress MP 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)