05 July,2019 07:34 AM IST | | Hemal Ashar
Dhrutiman Joshi at his home in Hindu Colony, Dadar. Pics/Pradeep Dhivar
Rahul Gandhi, a day after he stepped down as the Congress president, was in Mumbai for a court hearing in a defamation case. He had two years ago made a statement blaming the BJP-RSS ideology for the murder of journalist-author Gauri Lankesh in Bangalore in September 2017. Local RSS activist and criminal lawyer Dhrutiman Joshi had then filed the suit against him in 2017.
In the late 1990s, a very young Joshi meandered into a shakha near his home at Hindu Colony, in Dadar. The visit was the first of many. The RSS fired Joshi's imagination and in 2002, Joshi (then 13), joined the RSS.
Excerpts from an interview he gave to mid-day:
Some background about this case...
In 2017, I read online that Rahul Gandhi was blaming the RSS ideology for the murder of senior journalist Gauri Lankesh in Bangalore. In the reports, I stated that Rahul, within 24-hours of the murder of the journalist, had criticised the RSS and alleged that 'anybody who speaks against the ideology of the BJP, against the ideology of the RSS is pressured, beaten, attacked and even killed.' How did Rahul Gandhi know that, and within hours of the Lankesh murder? It was a sweeping statement and I could not let him get away with it.
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Rahul Gandhi meets his party workers in the city on Thursday. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
Rahul Gandhi pleaded not guilty in the court on Thursday
I am very happy that he had to come to court. Now, he will have to prove that he is right, or that we (the complainant) are right. I will be cross-examined. Through this, it will be proved that RSS workers are not homicidal maniacs and the ideology too does not make anybody so.
Politicians are known to make outlandish statements and false claims. Nobody takes them seriously
Rahul Gandhi is not an ordinary person. He is a tall leader. What he says impacts his party and a lot of other people. Even during the elections in Karnataka, the RSS was dragged in.
The RSS evokes 'scary' as a response from many. It is seen as fascist and violent
This is one way of changing that stereotype. Take those who perpetuate the falsehood to court. The legal route is our way and should continue to be so.
What is your message to people intimidated at taking on power?
Don't lose hope or get frustrated. This case was filed in 2017, it has been moved to a fast track court in 2018. If you are fighting the good fight, do not give up.
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