Gandhiji killing: no U-turn on RSS remark, says Rahul

Responding to jibes by the BJP and the RSS about his alleged U-turn on his statement about the RSS’s role in killing Mahatma Gandhi, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said he stands by “every single word” that he said. “I will never stop fighting the hateful & divisive agenda of the RSS. I stand by every single word I said,” he tweeted.

His tweet comes a day after he told the Supreme Court that he did not ever blame the RSS for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, but had only said that a “few individuals in the organisation” were responsible for it.

Congress leader and senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Rahul, cited the affidavit filed before the Bombay High Court, saying he had only accused certain people of the RSS and not the organisation as the killers of Gandhiji.

In his complaint, RSS Bhiwandi secretary Rajesh Mahadev Kunte alleged that Rahul told in an election rally in Sonale on March 6 last year that “the RSS people killed Gandhiji”. He alleged that the Congress leader had sought to tarnish the reputation of RSS through his speech.

But after refusing to apologise for his statement, Rahul clarified before the apex court on Wednesday, a development that was interpreted as a U-turn by the media. However, the Congress vice-president himself and others in the party asserted a day later that there was, in fact, no U-turn.

Congress leader Digvijay Singh said: “No U-turn by Rahul Gandhi on RSS. He stands by what he said. Person who killed was from RSS. It is the ideology of hate and violence which killed Mahatma Gandhi”.

This led to a series of queries and responses from the RSS and the BJP. RSS ideologue MG Vaidya told agencies that Rahul must come clean on who were the individuals involved in the Gandhiji murder he has linked with the RSS and what was their position and credential.

“If he now says the RSS was not involved, but the people who were involved in Gandhiji’s murder were affiliated with the RSS, then he must come clean on his statement — that in what sense they were associated with the RSS and what was their position and credential in the organisation,” the RSS patriarch told ANI.

“He is twisting it now. He must show his generosity by offering an apology for his statement and should accept before the court that what he had said was wrong,” the former RSS spokesperson said.

Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu referred to Rahul’s submission before the Supreme Court and ventured that “wisdom had prevailed upon the Congress vice-president”. This was before Rahul clarified his stand.

“Good, Rahul finally admitted before Supreme Court that RSS is not accused in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.

“Wisdom has prevailed. It may be a U-turn but a good turn. The RSS is a patriotic organisation. RSS – Ready for Service anywhere any time,” Venkaiah tweeted.

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