The Supreme Court gave a warning to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks about freedom fighter Veer Savarkar. The court said it would not allow anyone to make defamatory statements about national heroes and warned that if such comments are repeated, it could start proceedings against him on its own.
This warning came while the court was hearing Rahul Gandhi’s petition challenging a decision by the Allahabad High Court. The High Court had refused to cancel a defamation case filed against him.
The case is related to a comment Gandhi made during his Bharat Jodo Yatra on November 17, 2022, in Akola, Maharashtra. During the event, he allegedly called Savarkar a "British servant" and claimed the freedom fighter received a pension from the British government.
The hearing was led by a bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Manmohan. Rahul Gandhi’s lawyers said the comments were not meant to create hatred or cause trouble. However, the court was not satisfied with this explanation.
The judges questioned whether Gandhi understood the context of certain historical phrases, pointing out that even Mahatma Gandhi used the term "your faithful servant" and that his grandmother, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, had written a letter to Savarkar.
Also Read: Kashmiri students face assaults, hate speeches post-Pahalgam
The court reminded Gandhi’s lawyers that, as a public figure, he must be careful with his words. “Why make such statements if the intent was not to provoke?” the judges asked. They stressed that insulting freedom fighters, especially someone like Savarkar who is highly respected in Maharashtra, is unacceptable.
Although the court temporarily put the legal proceedings against Rahul Gandhi on hold, it clearly warned that if he makes similar comments again, the court could take action against him for contempt. “Let us make it very clear. We will not allow anyone to insult our freedom fighters,” the judges said.
The court also pointed out that Akola, the place where the remark was made, is an area where people hold Savarkar in very high regard.
The defamation case was filed by Advocate Nripendra Pandey, who said that Rahul Gandhi had intentionally tried to damage Savarkar’s reputation. According to the complaint, the comment was not accidental but part of a political strategy to discredit the freedom fighter.
Also Read: Pahalgam terror attack: LoP Rahul Gandhi leaves for Srinagar
Follow us
