In what may give the opposition parties fresh ammunition to target Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, party general secretary Digvijay Singh has said that the Gandhi family has never apologised and, therefore, would rather face the trial.
Singh’s comment came in wake of the Supreme Court asking the Congress vice-president to tender an apology for his remark against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) or be ready to face the trial.
In an exclusive conversation with ETV News head Jagdeesh Chandra, Singh said, “Rahul Gandhi will not apologise on Godse issue and will face the trial. Gandhi family has never apologised in history.”
Meanwhile, the RSS has sarcastically said that if the Congress vice-president does not tender an apology then he would have to visit the apex court very often.
“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 A.G. Noorani had to apologise,” RSS ideologue Rakesh Sinha told ANI.
The grand old party has said that Gandhi would not tender an apology over his remark against the RSS.
An apex court bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra 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 a defamation trial.
An apex court bench of Justices Dipak Misra and R F Nariman earlier on Tuesday refused Rahul’s request for two-week adjournment and posted the matter for hearing on July 27.
The Congress vice-president had moved the apex court in May 2015 for quashing the criminal case lodged against him for his comments against the RSS during a rally in Thane earlier in March 2014.
ANI