Pune court summons Rahul Gandhi in defamation case over his remarks on Savarkar

NEW DELHI: A Pune court has summoned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to appear on May 9 in a defamation case filed by a relative of freedom fighter VD Savarkar over controversial remarks made in London, while the Supreme Court warned Gandhi about making such statements about freedom fighters in the future.
The case stems from Gandhi's statement in London where he said: "They (Savarkar and his friends) beat up a Muslim and felt happy. If five people beat up one person and someone is getting happy, then this is cowardice. Fifteen people with Savarkarji are beating one person. This is also in their ideology."

The Supreme Court bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Manmohan expressed strong disapproval of Gandhi's remarks against Savarkar while hearing a separate case on the same issue.
Justice Datta questioned senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who appeared for Gandhi, about historical context, asking if Mahatma Gandhi could be labeled a British servant for using the term "your faithful servant" in letters to the Viceroy.
"Does your client know Mahatma Gandhi also used your faithful servant while addressing the Viceroy? Does your client know that his grandmother, when she was the Prime Minister, also sent a letter to somebody praising the gentleman (Savarkar)," Justice Datta told Singhvi.
The bench emphasized that such statements should not be made without proper knowledge of history and freedom fighters. "Let's be clear, any further statement and we will take suo moto and no question of sanction. We will not allow you to speak about the freedom fighters. They have given us freedom," Justice Datta stated.
Justice Datta also noted that Savarkar is worshipped in Maharashtra and questioned the treatment of freedom fighters.
The Supreme Court stayed the criminal defamation proceedings against Gandhi pending in a Lucknow court regarding his comments about Savarkar.
The court, however, made it clear that the stay would be conditional on Gandhi not making similar statements in the future, warning that he would have to "face consequences" otherwise.
The bench pointed out that one cannot make irresponsible statements about freedom fighters without understanding their historical significance and contributions to India's independence.