The Supreme Court on Friday called out Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his "irresponsible" utterances against freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar during a rally in Maharashtra.
Granting relief by suspending criminal proceedings against him, the court also directed Gandhi to be respectful of those who had contributed to India's freedom struggle.
A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Manmohan was displeased, stating, "Let's not ridicule our freedom fighters." Addressing senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who was appearing on behalf of Gandhi, the bench inquired if Gandhi was aware that even Mahatma Gandhi used terms like "your faithful servant" to address British authorities.
Justice Datta brought to the attention the context of history of such words, noting, "Even Calcutta High Court judges used to sign their letters with 'your servant.' Would that imply they were British subjects?" He proceeded further to note how his grandmother Indira Gandhi, Rahul's grandmother, had written appreciatively about Savarkar at one time. "Let us, therefore, refrain from passing irresponsible remarks about freedom fighters," the judge added.
While Singhvi argued that the charge of spreading enmity and inciting public mischief was not true, the bench remained adamant on the opinion that Gandhi should be cautious in his words. "He's a political leader. Why use such words? In Maharashtra, Savarkar is respected. Don't do this," the court warned. It also made it clear that any further such remarks could be heard suo motu.
Although the bench agreed with Singhvi’s legal argument and stayed the criminal case against Gandhi, it issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and the complainant, advocate Nripendra Pandey, regarding the matter. The proceedings had stemmed from Gandhi’s speech on November 17, 2022, during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Maharashtra’s Akola district, where he allegedly made derogatory comments about Savarkar.
The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court had earlier refused to cancel the summons, suggesting Gandhi seek a revision petition before the sessions court. Gandhi approached the Supreme Court then, seeking a stay on the legal proceedings in motion.
The complaint, filed by Pandey, accused the Congress leader of having made a calculated effort to insult Savarkar and claimed the remarks were part of a "deliberate and planned effort" aimed at besmirching the freedom fighter's reputation. Even as Singhvi insisted that Gandhi had not intended to cause enmity, the bench closed with a sharp warning: "When you don't know enough about India's history, you shouldn't make such statements."
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