A court in Maharashtra's Nashik district has summoned Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case filed against him for his alleged objectionable remarks against Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.
Background of the Case
The summons was issued by Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Deepali Parimal Kaduskar on September 27, noting that Gandhis statements 'prima-facie seem to be defamatory' towards a 'patriotic person.' The complaint was filed by the director of an NGO, who alleged that Gandhis comments during a press conference in Hingoli and a speech in November 2022 harmed Savarkars reputation.
According to the complainant, Gandhi stated, 'Savarkar is BJP and RSS jin,' which was considered defamatory in nature. Gandhi further alleged that Savarkar prayed for release while promising to work for the British government, which the complainant claimed was an attempt to ruin Savarkars reputation and his contributions to society during the pre-independence period.
Court's Decision
The court found sufficient grounds to proceed with the case, citing violations of Indian Penal Code sections 499 (defamation) and 504 (intentional insult). Gandhi is required to appear either personally or through a legal representative on the next date, which is yet to be decided.
The magistrate stated that 'considering the record, it appears that the statements made by the accused against a patriotic person prima-facie seem to be defamatory.' This decision underscores the courts belief that there are sufficient grounds to proceed with the defamation case.
