The Supreme Court on Friday made a warning of the highest severity to Congress president Rahul Gandhi over his earlier statements on freedom fighter VD Savarkar.
Defying a trial court summons, the bench warned Gandhi not to make more defamatory remarks, pointing out that Savarkar is revered in highest esteem in Maharashtra.
A two-judge bench led by Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Manmohan emphasized the seriousness of such remarks. "We will not allow any remark against our freedom fighters. Tomorrow somebody will also comment that Mahatma Gandhi was a 'servant to the British'," remarked the court critically.
The judges inquired whether Mr. Gandhi was aware that even Mahatma Gandhi used the expression "your faithful servant" while writing to the Viceroy, and mentioned that his own grandfather, the late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, had once written in praise of Savarkar. Addressing Gandhi's previous comment on Savarkar as "irresponsible," the court continued, "They gave us freedom and you treat them like this.".
While senior attorney Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing on behalf of Gandhi, put across the point of law in his plea and had a stay, the court put it squarely before them that such statements may trigger suo motu action on part of the court in the future.
The top court stayed criminal proceedings in a complaint filed by Nripendra Pandey in Uttar Pradesh against Gandhi for allegedly insulting Savarkar deliberately. It also issued notice to the complainant and the Uttar Pradesh government, asking them to respond to Gandhi's petition to quash the Allahabad High Court's previous refusal to quash the trial court's order.
The row has arisen over a speech made by Gandhi in Akola, Maharashtra, in November 2022 while participating in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, during which he had allegedly made negative comments about Savarkar's conduct during the freedom struggle.
Gandhi did not show up in court on Friday, as he was in Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir, where he met victims of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam that left 26 people dead. He is also going to meet affected local shopkeepers, the majority of whom are facing cancellations from stranded tourists.
The strike, pinned on The Resistance Front, which has links with Lashkar-e-Taiba, set the tension level higher. India's counterattack involved diplomatic actions including revocation of visas and suspending the Indus Water Treaty. In turn, Pakistan shut down its skies for Indian aircraft and suspended the Simla Agreement.
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