RSS, BJP hit out at Congress on defamation case against Rahul

New Delhi, July 19 (IANS) The BJP and the RSS on Tuesday hit out at the Congress after the Supreme Court hinted that Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi will have to face trial in a defamation case for his remark on Mahatma Gandhi's assassination.

The BJP said the court proceedings on Tuesday were a "slap on the Congress face".

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) publicity head Manmohan Vaidya said: "The Congress has been consistently trying to spread lies and baseless allegations against the RSS. Today's Supreme Court proceedings have exposed the Congress."

Rahul Gandhi had moved the Supreme Court for quashing of proceedings against him after RSS activist Rajesh Kunte filed a defamation case in a Maharashtra court over Rahul's accusation that the RSS had assassinated Father of the Nation.

"The Congress has again been exposed for spreading falsehood against the RSS. The court proceedings are a big slap on its face," BJP national secretary Srikant Sharma told IANS.

"If Rahul Gandhi has little bit shame left in him, he should apologise for his remark," Sharma said.

"There has been a trend in the Congress to insult nationalist forces and glorify terrorists. This is the reason they are disappearing from the political map of the country," he said.

Sharma asked Rahul Gandhi to read history to educate himself on the RSS and its activities.

"The RSS was invited to join the Republic Day parade at Rajpath by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru," the BJP leader said.

The Congress said on Tuesday that Rahul Gandhi will not apologise for his remark against the RSS.

The opposition party said it will prove in court the connection Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse had with the RSS, saying "history can neither be changed nor rewritten".