Hearing the keenly-watched case pertaining to Rahul Gandhi’s “defamatory” remarks against Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, the Supreme Court on April 25 held the Congress leader’s comments as “irresponsible”.The apex court warned Gandhi not to make such statements in future, saying it might take suo motu cognisance if he did so.The court asked Abhishek Singhvi, who appeared for Rahul Gandhi, if he knew that even Mahatama Gandhi used the words ‘your faithful servant’ in communication to Britishers.At the hearing, the top court stayed Allahabad High Court’s order refusing to quash summons to Gandhi in the defamation case.
Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had moved the Supreme Court challenging the order of the Allahabad High Court.
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The defamation case stems from Gandhi’s comments on Savarkar made on November 17, 2022 during his Bharat Jodo Yatra at a rally in Maharashtra’s Akola district.The Lucknow bench of the high court on April 4 said that Gandhi can file a revision petition before the sessions court, making the high court’s intervention unnecessary at this stage.Gandhi, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, challenged a subordinate court’s decision to summon him in the case, while contesting the ongoing proceedings against him.
Advocate Nripendra Pandey filed a complaint, accusing Gandhi of intentionally insulting Savarkar during the rally. The complainant alleged Gandhi’s remarks were part of a well-planned conspiracy to defame Savarkar.
The SC issued notices to complainant Pandey and the Uttar Pradesh government, on the Congress leader’s plea seeking their responses.