The Bombay High Court today dismissed Rahul Gandhi’s petition for quashing a defamation case against him for allegedly blaming RSS for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. Justice M L Tahaliyani rejected Rahul's petition seeking to quash the complaint filed by RSS activist Rajesh Kunte before a magisterial court in Bhiwandi in Thane district claiming that the Congress leader had said at a rally during last year's Lok Sabha poll that a worker of the saffron outfit had killed Mahatma Gandhi.

Kunte, secretary of the Bhiwandi unit of RSS, in his complaint had alleged that Rahul told an election rally at Sonale on March 6 that "RSS people killed Gandhiji" to tarnish the reputation of the Sangh through his speech. 

Rahul's lawyers argued that the complaint was motivated and malafide and deserved to be quashed. They said that no case was made out against Rahul and the criminal proceedings initiated against him are part of the BJP's election campaign. The prosecution opposed the petition and argued that Rahul can plead his case and lead evidence during trial before the magistrate. The High Court dismissed the petition and refused to grant stay on its order to allow the Congress leader time to appeal in the Supreme Court.

For years Congress has tried its level best to tarnish the image of Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh by alleging that the assassination of Gandhi was done at the behest of RSS. This allegation is raised time and again by Congress whenever election process starts or when Congress loses its popularity. 

By Premji