Rahul Gandhi not to apologise for his `RSS killed Gandhi’ remark
21 Jul 2016
Congressman Digvijay Singh has said Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi would rather face trial than apologise for his comment linking the RSS to Mahatma Gandhi's murder.
The Supreme Court had asked the Congress vice president to tender an apology for his remark that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was behind the killing of Mahatma Gandhi or be ready to face the trial.
Talking to ETV News head Jagdeesh Chandra, Singh said, ''Rahul Gandhi will not apologise on Godse issue and will face trial. Gandhi family has never apologised in history.''
The Congress party also holds the view that there is no need for Rahul Gandhi to tender an apology over his remark against the RSS.
An apex court bench of Justice Dipak Misra and R F Nariman had, earlier this week, asked the Congress vice president to express regret for his comments holding the RSS responsible for Mahatma Gandhi's assassination or be ready to face trial for defamation.
The SC bench also refused Rahul's request for two-week adjournment and posted the matter for hearing on 27 July.
The ruling comes on a petition moved by Rahul Gandhi himself in May 2015 seeking quashing of a criminal case lodged against him for his comments against the RSS during a rally in Thane, near Mumbai in March 2014.
The RSS, meanwhile, said if the Congress vice president does not tender an apology then he would have to visit the apex court very often, indicating that it would pursue the case.
''If he has even a bit of respect for the court, he will apologise. If he doesn't apologise, he will have to frequently visit the court. Let me tell him, his party member Sitaram Kesri had associated the RSS with the murder of (Mahatma) Gandhi and he had to apologise. Another leader Arjun Singh had to frequently visit the court. A renowned columnist AG Noorani had to apologise,'' ANI quoted RSS ideologue Rakesh Sinha as saying.