'Won't back down': Rahul in Assam court for RSS case

'These cases are filed against me to prevent me from working for the weaker and deprived sections of the country.'
K Anurag reports from Guwahati.

Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi paused his Uttar Pradesh road show and turned up in an Assam court on Thursday, September 29, for a defamation case filed against him by a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh volunteer.

After appearing in the court in Guwahati, Gandhi told the media that such cases would not deter him from his ongoing fight for the interests of the downtrodden and suppressed people of the country.

The chief judicial magistrate's court in Guwahati released Gandhi on a bond of Rs 50,000.

The court fixed November 5 as the next date for hearing in the case.

Gandhi appeared in court at 10 am and emerged at 10.45 am. The hearing was conducted amid tight security in and around the court.

"I work for the suppressed, downtrodden, unemployed, poor farmers of the country," Gandhi told the media after the hearing concluded.

"These cases are filed against me to prevent me from working for the weaker and deprived sections of the country. But I will not be deterred by such design. The country is now being ruled for only 12 to 15 people."

The criminal defamation suit concerns Gandhi's visit to the Barpeta Satra, a 16th century Vaishnavite monastery on December 12 last year. He was supposed to enter the Satra before taking part in a road show, but did not visit the shrine and instead hit the road show.

In New Delhi later, he alleged that some RSS workers had prevented him from entering the Satra, after which one RSS worker filed the defamation suit against Gandhi.