Defamation case against Rahul for calling 'RSS-21st century Kauravas'

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, has been charged with a new defamation suit, just days after a Gujarat court sentenced him to two years in prison.

On Friday, a complaint was brought to a Haridwar court regarding comments made by the former MP while participating in the Bharat Jodo Yatra in January. In a speech in January, Gandhi referred Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) as the "21st century Kauravas".

"We have filed the complaint under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). On April 12, the court will hear the complaint, stated lawyer Arun Bhadoria, on behalf of Kamal Bhadoria, an RSS volunteer.

Targeting the RSS, the Congress leader called its members the "21st century Kauravas" and alleged they never say "Har Har Mahadev" and "Jai Siya Ram" as they are against India's values and "tapasya".

Addressing a street-corner meeting after the Bharat Jodo Yatra led by him reached Ambala district Monday evening, Gandhi said Haryana is the land of the Mahabharata and went on to take a dig at the RSS and the ruling dispensation.

"Who were the Kauravas? I will first tell you about the 21st century Kauravas, they wear khakhi half-pants, they carry lathis in hands and hold shakhas.... India's 2-3 billionaires are standing with these Kauravas," he alleged, referring to the RSS.

Talking about the case, Bhadauria's lawyer Arun Bhadoria said,''Rahul Gandhi compared the RSS to the Kauravas of the 21st century. It is his indecent speech which reveals his mindset. RSS is such an organization that whenever there has been a calamity in the country, it has come forward to help.'' He further informed that the court has registered the case and asked the plaintiff to appear for an advance hearing on April 12, as quoted by OpIndia.

Earlier, a second defamation case filed against Rahul Gandhi in Thane, Maharashtra, following a 2014 speech in which he allegedly blamed the RSS for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.