The apex court warned Rahul Gandhi that if such "irresponsible" statements were made in the future, it would initiate a suo motu case against him.
Published Apr 25, 2025 | 2:18 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 25, 2025 | 2:18 PM
Rahul Gandhi’s birthday celebrated with sanitation workers in Hyderabad
Synopsis: The Supreme Court orally expressed disapproval of Rahul Gandhi over his comments on VD Savarkar. However, the apex court stayed the criminal defamation proceedings pending against him in a court in Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow.
The Supreme Court on Friday, 25 April, orally expressed disapproval of Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, over his comments on VD Savarkar.
However, the apex court stayed the criminal defamation proceedings pending against him in a court in Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow.
A bench comprising Justice Dipankar Datta and Manmohan made the remarks while hearing the petition moved by Rahul Gandhi after the Allahabad High Court refused to grant him relief.
Justice Datta asked Senior Advocate AM Singhvi, who was representing Rahul Gandhi, whether he would call Mahatma Gandhi a servant of the Britishers merely because he used the term “your faithful servant” in his 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 (Indira Gandhi), when she was the Prime Minister, also sent a letter praising the gentleman(Savarkar), the freedom fighter?” Justice Datta asked, objecting to Rahul Gandhi terming Savarkar a servant of the British.
The apex court warned Rahul Gandhi that if such “irresponsible” statements were made in the future, it would initiate a suo motu case against him.
“So therefore, let him not make irresponsible statements about the freedom fighters. You have laid down a good point of law, and you are entitled to stay. We know that. But this is not the way you treat our freedom fighters. When you don’t know anything about the history or geography of India…” Justice Datta observed, reported LiveLaw.
“He is a person of stature. He is a political leader of a political party. Why should you foment trouble like this? You go to Akola and make this statement, in Maharashtra, where he (Savarkar) is worshipped? Don’t do this. Why do you make this statement?” Justice Datta said.
He said that even the Judges of the Calcutta High Court used to address the Chief Justice as “Your Servant” during the British times. “Someone does not become a servant like this. Next time, somebody will say Mahatma Gandhi was the servant of the British. You are encouraging these kind of statements,” Justice Datta said.
The court said it was inclined to stay the proceedings but on a condition that he would not make any such statements in future. However, the condition was not specified in the order.
A defamation case was filed against Rahul Gandhi after he allegedly said in a press conference that Savarkar was a servant of the British and that he took a pension from the British.
