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New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi today refused to settle a defamation suit against him and told the Supreme Court that he would prefer to argue his case.
The court had, earlier this year, kept defamation proceedings against the Congress leader on hold. Today, the stay was extended.
Mr Gandhi has been sued by an activist of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS – the ruling BJP’s ideological mentor – for allegedly blaming the organization for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi while campaigning for the national election last year.
Today, the court suggested that Mr Gandhi can express regret at his comments and the case could be disposed of.
Arguing on behalf of Mr Gandhi, senior Congress leader and lawyer Kapil Sibal refused the offer and said he would rather fight the case.
The case will be heard next in February.
In most of his recent speeches, the 45-year-old Congress vice president has targeted the RSS and described it as a dictatorial organization that is guiding the government’s policies.
In May, Mr Gandhi attended a court hearing in Maharashtra’s Bhiwandi town even though the Supreme Court had said he could skip it.
