Rahul Gandhi pleads not guilty in RSS defamation case
Mumbai, July 4 (IBNS): Appearing in a Mumbai court a day after stepping down as the Congress chief, Rahul Gandhi on Thursday pleaded not guilty in the defamation case filed by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangha (RSS) against him for allegedly linking journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh's murder to the organisation's ideology, media reports said.
The defamation suit was filed by a RSS worker.
Lankesh, who took stands against Right-wing ideology, was shot three times by some unknown assailants outside her residence in 2017.
Lankesh was the editor of a Kannada weekly Lankesh Patrikewas. Her murder had sparked country-wide protests.
Coming out from the court, Rahul said he will fight harder against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) despite leaving the Congress president's post.
"..It is an ideological fight. I will stand beside poor people and peasants. I will work ten times harder than the last five years," the former Congress president said before getting into his car.
Ending days of suspense and anxiety, Rahul on Wednesday formally submitted his resignation as the Congress president, weeks after his party once again received a jolt in the Lok Sabha polls.
Rahul, who became the Congress president in 2017, took responsibility for his party's defeat in the Lok Sabha polls and said he would continue to fight the ideology of the BJP.
He said the Congress Working Committee should elect a new party president.
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