Will fight 10 times harder against RSS, says Rahul Gandhi

MUMBAI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday pleaded “not guilty” and will now face trial in a defamation case filed against him by a RSS worker. Gandhi, along with CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, who is also facing defamation charges, appeared before metropolitan magistrate P I Mokashi. The magistrate granted Gandhi and Yechury bail on a surety of Rs 15,000. They were also given permanent exemption from attending the hearings in the case. Former Congress MP Eknath Gaikwad stood surety for Gandhi.
The Congress leader on Thursday morning attended the hearing in the Mazgaon-Sewree metropolitan magistrate's court, which was kept out of bounds for the media. Later, Gandhi spoke to the waiting media persons. “I stand with the poor, farmers and workers. There have been attacks on me and I am enjoying it,” said Gandhi. He added that he has said everything he wanted to say about his resignation in his letter. “I will continue my fight ... the way I have fought in the last five years, I will fight 10 times harder,” said Gandhi.
This is one of the defamation cases filed against Gandhi for his comments against the BJP and RSS. In 2017, RSS activist and advocate Dhrutiman Joshi, had filed a private complaint against Gandhi and Yechuri, seeking defamation proceedings against them for their comments against the RSS, following the killing of journalist Gauri Lankesh. In his complaint, Joshi alleged that Gandhi had after the killing said, “anybody who speaks against the ideology of the BJP, against the ideology of the RSS, is pressured, beaten, attacked and even killed”. The court has scheduled further hearing of the case on September 21, 2019.
After the court proceedings, Gandhi had a brief discussion with Mumbai Congressleaders, and asked the workers to strengthen party base across the state instead of uncalled for debate on possible alliance with Prakash Ambedkar led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi or Raj Thackeray-led MNS.
“We must concentrate on strengthening our vote base, Congress has a history. All out efforts should be made to improve our vote share. In the days to come, we will have to work hard in view of the upcoming polls,’’ Gandhi said.
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References

1. ^{^} Rahul Gandhi (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
2. ^{^} Sitaram Yechury (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
3. ^{^} Gauri Lankesh (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)

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