Rahul Gandhi to appear in Assam court on Thursday

Guwahati: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi will arrive in this Assam city on Thursday to appear before a local court here in a defamation case, a party leader said.

An RSS volunteer had filed a defamation suit against Gandhi last year and the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup after examining different witnesses asked Gandhi to appear before the court on September 29.

A spokesman of Congress' state unit said that Gandhi will arrive in Guwahati around 9 a.m. and will appear before the court at around 10.30 am. Later he is also expected to address a meeting of party workers before returning to New Delhi the same evening.

The case is regarding 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, organised nearby, but did not do so and instead hit the road show directly.

Later in New Delhi, he told media persons that some RSS workers prevented him from entering the Satra. He also alleged that the RSS have incited the local women to prevent him from entering the Satra. 

An RSS volunteer filed the defamation suit against Gandhi not only denying the role of RSS into the incident but also alleging that Gandhi's statement to media in New Delhi had tarnished the image of Satra.