'RSS people killed Gandhiji' remark: Authors may speak for Rahul Gandhi

NEW DELHI: An array of authors and researchers are likely to step into the witness box to throw light on the controversial association of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

This assumes significance in the backdrop of a legal battle between Congress president Rahul Gandhi and BJP’s ideological mentor, the RSS.

Gandhi, who is facing a trial in a Bhiwandi court on charges of defaming the RSS, is likely to seek summoning of key witnesses to buttress his charge.

An RSS member Rajesh Kunte had registered a case of defamation against Gandhi for claiming that the RSS had killed Mahatma Gandhi. The Congress president had made such a statement at an election rally on March 6, 2014, in Bhiwandi.

Kunte had filed an application in the court, as first reported by ET, that he would withdraw the case if Gandhi apologised for his statement. But the Congress chief stuck to his guns, and decided that he would rather face trial. He had told the Supreme Court through his lawyer, former Union minister Kapil Sibal, that he stood by each and every word he had said and won’t take them back. “I am ready to go to trial.”

Gandhi, in his petition filed in the Bombay HC, had furnished a list of books written by authors on the subject(s) of RSS and the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. Some of the literature includes books written by Gandhi’s grandson Tushar Gandhi “Let’s kill Gandhi! A chronicle of his last days, the conspiracy, murder, investigation and trial”; another written by Ashis Nandy -- “Exiled at Home”; one written by Koenraad Elst called “Gandhi and Godse”.

In fact, Gandhi relied on a number of scholars and researchers to drive home his point, including AG Noorani - a constitutional expert and political commentator; Mark Juergensmeyer - an American scholar in religious studies and sociology, and two more Indian authors -- Shyam Chand and Shamsul Islam.

All these books deal with the killing of Mahatma Gandhi and RSS. “The testimonies of these authors can prove crucial to the trial as the books deal with the two subjects in question -- assassination of Gandhi and RSS. A plea may be made to the court seeking to record their statements. For, their work will throw light on the unnecessary controversy raised,” a top source privy to the development told ET, requesting anonymity.

Also, Gandhi is likely to rely on literature to corroborate that it was Vallabhbhai Patel who had issued the order banning RSS when he was the home minister. Two letters -- critical of the RSS -- written by Vallabhbhai will be presented in the case.