New Delhi, Aug 24 (IANS): Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi had not blamed the RSS as an institution for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, but the people associated with it, the Supreme Court was told on Wednesday.

Senior counsel Kapil Sibal made the observation before a bench of Justice Dipak Misra and Justice R.F. Nariman while referring to an affidavit filed by Gandhi before the Bombay High Court challenging the defamation proceedings against him by a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker.

The bench, while taking note of Gandhi's statement before the High Court said that it can dispose of the matter after the Congress leader's unequivocal statement that he had not blamed the RSS as an organisation for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, but only the people linked with it,

However, the court deferred the hearing till Sep 1 as senior counsel Umesh Lalit, appearing for the RSS worker, wanted time to take instructions from his client.