In a fresh legal development, a Nashik court has summoned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over a defamation suit tied to his controversial remarks about Hindutva figurehead, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.
On September 27, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Deepali Parimal Kaduskar issued the summons, noting that Gandhi’s remarks “prima facie appear defamatory” towards a “patriotic individual.”
The defamation suit was filed by the director of an NGO, who took offense to statements made by Gandhi during a November 2022 speech and a press conference in Hingoli, Maharashtra. According to PTI, the complainant argued that these remarks damaged Savarkar’s legacy.
The complaint centers around Gandhi’s alleged statement: “Savarkar is BJP and RSS jin,” with further accusations that he claimed Savarkar sought his release from the British by promising to work for them during India’s pre-independence struggle.
The court deemed that the accusations warranted a formal hearing, citing sections 499 (defamation) and 504 (intentional insult) of the Indian Penal Code. Rahul Gandhi has been instructed to appear before the court, either personally or through legal representation, on a future date to be announced.
The complainant emphasized that Gandhi’s comments had tarnished the reputation of his “idol,” Swatantryaveer Savarkar, and undermined his contributions to the nation during the fight for freedom.
