Today, On 15th July, The Bombay High Court dismissed a PIL accusing Rahul Gandhi of insulting freedom icon Veer Savarkar. The bench said, “We can’t direct Gandhi to read the petition or remove his ignorance,” and advised the petitioner to explore other remedies.
New Delhi: The Bombay High Court dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that claimed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar had violated the petitioner’s duty to uphold the ideals of the freedom struggle.
The division bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep Marne heard the matter and refused to issue any direction against Rahul Gandhi regarding his statements.
The Court made it clear that they could not force Gandhi to read the petition or correct his views.
The judges observed,
“We can’t direct Gandhi to read the PIL or ‘remove his ignorance’.”
The PIL had argued that Rahul Gandhi’s comments were disrespectful towards Savarkar and that they had hurt the sentiments of citizens who believed in the values of the Indian freedom movement. The petitioner claimed it was his “duty to cherish freedom ideals“, and Gandhi’s statements had gone against that constitutional responsibility.
However, the Court found no merit in issuing any directive against Gandhi based on the allegations. The bench stated that personal opinions or political remarks could not be addressed through such petitions unless there was a clear legal violation,
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While dismissing the PIL, the bench granted liberty to the petitioner to approach other legal remedies if available under law. The Court said the petitioner is free to seek other remedies if he feels strongly about the issue.
This legal matter originates from a speech Gandhi delivered in London in March 2023, during which he allegedly referenced an incident outlined in Savarkar’s writings.
Gandhi is said to have claimed that Savarkar and others had assaulted a Muslim man and found the act “pleasurable.”
Also Read: Court Defers Rahul Gandhi Defamation Case to April 3: “Lawyers Were on Strike”
Satyaki Savarkar challenged the existence of such an account in Savarkar’s published works and initiated legal action, asserting that Gandhi’s statement was factually incorrect, misleading, and defamatory.
The complaint argues that the remarks not only misrepresented historical facts but also harmed the reputation of Vinayak Savarkar.
He has sought Gandhi’s conviction under Section 500 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code, along with compensation under Section 357 of the CrPC.
Earlier in May, the Court approved Gandhi’s request to shift the case from a summary trial to a summons trial, a procedural adjustment that allows for the inclusion of more extensive documentary and historical evidence.
Also Read: Rahul Gandhi Granted Bail in Savarkar Defamation Case by Pune Court
Gandhi defended this change by stating that his remarks were based on verifiable historical sources.
Gandhi, who serves as the MP for Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh and is the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, has been linked to this case since April last year. Satyaki Savarkar, the grandnephew of Vinayak Savarkar, filed a complaint in a magistrate court in Pune, alleging that Gandhi made defamatory remarks about Savarkar during a speech in London on March 5, 2023.
Case Title: Satyaki Savarkar v Rahul Gandhi
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