Rahul Gandhi says never blamed RSS as an institution, only persons associated with it for Mahatma Gandhi's killing

NEW DELHI: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that he had never blamed the RSS as an institution for Mahatma Gandhi's killing but only "persons associated with it" for the killing, in a move that may prompt the court to quash defamation charges brought against him by a RSS activist.

Rahul Gandhi is facing defamation charges in connection with his election speech. The case was filed by one Mahadev Kunte who claims to be an RSS activist. The Congress vice president had sought quashing of the case.

He had made the same statement to the Bombay High Court which had refused to quash the charges against him. Sibal urged the top court today to accept it and quash the charges. The court adjourned the case to sept 1, permitting time to the RSS activist to decide whether to withdraw the defamation case.

The bench comprising justices Dipak Misra and R F nariman pointed out that the charge of defaming the RSS would then fall and asked kunte to consider withdrawing the case.