“This Is Not How You Treat Our Freedom Fighters”: Supreme Court Raps Rahul Gandhi Over Savarkar Remarks
The Court cautioned Gandhi against making further “irresponsible statements” on freedom fighters, warning that any future comments could invite suo motu action without the need for sanction.
The Supreme Court today issued notice on a plea filed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi challenging an Allahabad High Court order that refused to quash the summons issued to him in a criminal defamation case related to his remarks on Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.
During the hearing, the Bench of Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Manmohan pulled up Gandhi for his comments made during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Maharashtra's Akola district on November 17, 2022, and remarked, “This is not the way you treat our freedom fighters when you know nothing about the history and geography of India.”
Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appeared for Gandhi.
“Does your client know that even Mahatma Gandhi used it… ‘your faithful servant’… while addressing the Viceroy?” the Court asked. It further remarked, “Does your client know that his grandmother, when she was Prime Minister, sent a letter praising the gentleman… the freedom fighter?”
Expressing strong disapproval, the Bench said, “Let him not make these irresponsible statements about our freedom fighters.”
Singhvi submitted, “It was not the intention to create any enmity...”
To this, the Court responded, “If the intention is not there, why make such comments?” The Bench questioned further, “Somebody who is a person of stature… leader of a political party… why should you comment trouble like this?”
The Court warned that such conduct would not be tolerated. “You are encouraging these kinds of statements,” it said. “We will grant you stay subject to… we will restrain you from making such irresponsible statements.”
The Bench made it clear, “Let us be very clear – any further statement, we will take up suo motu and no question of sanction.” The Court added, “We will not allow anybody to speak about our freedom fighters… they have given us freedom and this is how we speak?”
The Court proceeded to issue notice and granted a conditional stay on the proceedings, cautioning Gandhi against making further such remarks.
The defamation case arises from Gandhi’s statements made during the Bharat Jodo Yatra on November 17, 2022, at a rally held in Maharashtra’s Akola district.
On April 4, the Lucknow bench of the High Court observed that Gandhi could seek remedy by filing a revision petition before the sessions court, thereby rendering the High Court's intervention premature.
Gandhi, who currently serves as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has approached the top court against the lower court’s decision summoning him and the subsequent legal proceedings initiated thereafter.
The original complaint was lodged by Advocate Nripendra Pandey, who alleged that Gandhi had deliberately made offensive remarks against Savarkar during the event.
