Pune Court Summons Rahul Gandhi Over Veer Savarkar Remark for Hearing on May 9
Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi faces fresh legal trouble as a Pune court has summoned him in a defamation case linked to remarks he made about Veer Savarkar during a London visit. The Raebareli MP is expected to appear for the hearing on May 9, 2025.
The case was filed by a relative of Hindutva icon Veer Savarkar, following Gandhi’s controversial comments. According to ANI, the complaint accuses Rahul Gandhi of defaming Savarkar, a revered figure for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and many nationalists. The court’s summons adds to Gandhi’s mounting legal challenges.
This development comes just a day after the Supreme Court reprimanded Rahul Gandhi over his remarks. The apex court warned the Congress leader against making irresponsible statements about freedom fighters without understanding history. “Let him not make any statement on freedom fighters without knowing any history or geography,” the Supreme Court observed, as reported by LiveLaw.
The Supreme Court, while hearing Gandhi’s plea against a summons issued by a Lucknow court, highlighted that even Mahatma Gandhi respected Savarkar. Justice Dipankar Datta pointed out that Rahul Gandhi’s grandmother, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, had once praised Savarkar in a letter. The court sternly questioned whether using respectful language towards British officials implied servitude, criticizing Gandhi’s reference to Savarkar as a “British servant.”
Rahul Gandhi had approached the Supreme Court after the Allahabad High Court refused to quash the complaint against him. Advocate Nripendra Pandey filed the initial complaint in December last year, alleging that Gandhi’s statements promoted enmity by falsely portraying Veer Savarkar as a British loyalist who accepted a pension from the colonial rulers.
Rahul Gandhi’s upcoming appearance in the Pune court on May 9 is now set against the backdrop of increasing judicial scrutiny and political pressure over his controversial remarks about Veer Savarkar.
