Mahatma Gandhi assassination row: RSS rules out settlement with Rahul Gandhi, demands written apology from him

RSS has ruled out any settlement with the Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on the issue of assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.

File photo

Delhi: RSS has ruled out any settlement with Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on the issue of the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.

Rajesh Mahadev Kunte, the Maharashtra-based RSS leader who filed a criminal defamation case against Rahul, has said that there can be a settlement only if the Congress leader apologises again.

He added that the Congress VP has to give it in writing to the Supreme Court that in future he will not repeat the statement blaming the RSS for killing of Gandhi.

Kunte was quoted as saying by Mail Today - "Now, there is no question of withdrawing the case. His tweet has made it loud and clear that he continues to hold that RSS killed Mahatma Gandhi."

"Or else, let him face trial," Kunte, secretary of RSS Bhiwandi unit, added.

The apex court is waiting for Kunte's approval to close the case after senior counsel and Congress leader Kapil Sibal on August 24 had submitted that Rahul had never accused the RSS as an organisation.

Sibal, appearing for Rahul, had cited the affidavit filed before High Court saying he had only accused certain people of RSS.

"I never made the statement that RSS killed Mahatma Gandhi but persons associated with the RSS killed him," the senior advocate had told the Court.

A bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and RF Nariman had said that if the complainant agrees to the submission, it will take the statement on record and dispose of the petition.

It asked senior advocate UR Lalit appearing for Kunte and the complainant, to take instructions on the option of disposing of the matter and posted it on September 1.

However, a day after choosing to set the records straight Rahul made a U-turn on August 25.

He insisted that he stood by every single word said by him and tweeted the following - "I will never stop fighting the hateful and divisive agenda of the RSS. I stand by every single word I said.

I will never stop fighting the hateful & divisive agenda of the RSS. I stand by every single word I saidhttps://t.co/bUWzTHrgHW — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) August 25, 2016

The Congress VP's tweet had come after media reports said that he had taken a U-turn when he told the SC that he did not ever blame the RSS for the killing of Gandhi.

The case comes up for hearing again on September 1.

(With Agency inputs)