The Supreme Court on Friday reprimanded Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his controversial remark about Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar, where he claimed that Savarkar had collaborated with the British. A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Manmohan was hearing a petition that challenged an Allahabad High Court order, which had refused to quash the summons issued by a Lucknow magistrate court regarding Gandhi’s remarks.
While the court stayed the criminal defamation proceedings against the Congress leader, it did not hold back in criticizing his comments. The defamation case was filed following a complaint by lawyer Nripendra Pandey, who accused Gandhi of insulting Savarkar during his Bharat Jodo Yatra in November 2022. Gandhi had referred to Savarkar as a “British servant” who allegedly received a pension from the colonial authorities.
The Supreme Court bench called Gandhi’s statements “irresponsible” and warned the Lok Sabha MP that it would take suo motu action if he made similar remarks in the future. “You have a good point on law and you will get a stay, but any further statement by him will be taken up suo motu. No words on our freedom fighters. They gave us freedom and we treat them like this?” the bench remarked.
The bench further questioned whether Mahatma Gandhi could be labeled a servant of the British for referring to the viceroy as “your faithful servant” in his letters. The court also pointed out that Gandhi’s grandmother, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, had praised Savarkar in the past.
The defamation case had a tumultuous journey through the courts. In June 2023, an additional chief judicial magistrate had dismissed Pandey’s complaint, but the complainant appealed. The sessions court allowed the plea and sent the matter back to the Lucknow magistrate court, which then issued summons to Rahul Gandhi in December. The Congress leader had challenged the order in the High Court, which refused to set aside the summons on April 4.
