Savarkar case: Rahul Gandhi's bid to bring historical facts faces objection

Satyaki Savarkar has objected to Rahul Gandhi's plea to convert the trial from a summary trial to bring historical facts into the proceedings

Satyaki Ashok Savarkar, a relative of the Hindutva idealogue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, has objected to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s plea to change the nature of the defamation trial against him. Gandhi had sought to convert the case from a summary trial to a summons trial, arguing that he needed to present historical facts and detailed evidence in his defence, according to a report by Bar and Bench.

 

The case stems from Gandhi’s speech in London in March 2023, where he allegedly made defamatory remarks about Vinayak Savarkar’s role in India’s history. According to the complaint, Gandhi referred to an incident from Savarkar’s writings, alleging that he took pleasure in assaulting a Muslim man, a claim that Satyaki Savarkar asserts is false and not documented in Savarkar’s works.

 

He subsequently filed a defamation complaint, accusing Gandhi of making ‘fictitious, false, and malicious’ statements about his grandfather.

 

Savarkar challenges Rahul Gandhi’s plea

Recently, Rahul Gandhi sought to convert the trial from a summary trial (a fast-tracked process for less serious offences) to a summons trial, which allows for detailed evidence presentation. His legal team argued that this change was necessary to bring historical facts into the proceedings.

 

Savarkar, through his counsel SA Kolhatkar, has filed an affidavit opposing Gandhi’s request to modify the trial format. His response argues that the Congress leader is attempting to divert attention by bringing up historical debates irrelevant to the case.

 

“The accused is deliberately trying to shift focus by discussing Veer Savarkar’s contributions to the freedom struggle, which have no relevance to the defamation charges,” the affidavit mentions.

 

Savarkar’s counsel further contended that the trial should proceed as originally scheduled and that Gandhi could not dictate the court’s procedural approach. “The claim that this case involves complex legal and factual issues is baseless,” the reply states, rejecting Gandhi’s argument for a more detailed trial process.

 

Rahul Gandhi’s defamation cases

Savarkar’s legal team has highlighted Gandhi’s history of making defamatory remarks, referencing his March 2023 conviction by a Surat court for making derogatory statements about Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a 2019 election rally. Gandhi was sentenced to two years in prison, which led to his immediate disqualification as a Lok Sabha MP. However, the Supreme Court later stayed his conviction, restoring his parliamentary membership.

 

In his affidavit, Savarkar’s counsel labelled Gandhi a “habitual offender” in making defamatory remarks, urging the court to reject his plea and proceed with the trial as originally scheduled.

 

Following his brief disqualification from Lok Sabha, Gandhi remained defiant, refusing to apologise for his remarks. When questioned about his statements in the Parliament, he stated, “My name is not Savarkar; it is Gandhi, and Gandhi never offers an apology.”

 

Next hearing set for March

 

The Pune court is set to hear the defamation case on March 19, where it will decide whether to allow Gandhi’s request to convert the trial to a summons case or proceed with the current summary trial format.