Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi has been named in a criminal
case filed in the court of the chief judicial magistrate of Ranchi.
The case was filed following a complaint by Asish Kumar Singh, a
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ( RSS) activist. He complained that
Gandhi, on a three- day recruitment drive for the party in Bhopal,
termed the RSS a “ fanatical” organisation like the Students Islamic
Movement of India ( SIMI) on October 6.
Appearing for Singh, lawyer Anand Prakash said the comment was taken
as a “ personal hurt” by the RSS. “ RSS volunteers participated in
various political and social movements, including the independence
movement. The outfit became the leading Hindu nationalist organisation
in India in 1990, whereas SIMI is a banned extremist group in India.
The Indian government, through its notification dated February 8,
2006, has banned SIMI for the third time,” Prakash said.
Admitting the case, first class judicial magistrate Amit Sekhar
adjourned the court on Wednesday and directed the complainant to bring
witnesses on the next date of hearing.
The court has fixed the first date of hearing on January 17, 2011. The
sections under which Rahul has been charged are 499, 500, 501, 153A
and 153B of the IPC. An inquiry has been ordered. All the charges
against Rahul deal with defamation and disturbing communal harmony.
The complainant said Rahul, by his remark, “ attempted to spread
disharmony or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill- will among different
religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or
communities”. There is a defamation ground too.
