SC pulls up Rahul Gandhi over his 'irresponsible' remark against Savarkar

The Supreme Court on Friday strongly disapproved of the adverse remarks made by leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi against Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.

A division bench comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and Manmohan remarked that Gandhi's statements against the freedom fighter were "irresponsible". The bench also warned that if Gandhi repeated similar remarks in the future, the bench will initiate suo motu action against him. The bench, however, stayed summons issued to Gandhi by a Lucknow Magistrate Court in a criminal case initiated against him for his controversial remarks. Gandhi had reportedly said that Savarkar was a "collaborator" with the British and that he received pension from the British.

As the case came up for hearing on Friday, Justice Datta took strong exception to Gandhi's remark that Savarkar was a servant of the British. Justice Datta asked if Mahatma Gandhi could be called the servant of the Britishers merely because he used the term "your faithful servant" in his letters to the Viceroy. "Does your client know Mahatma Gandhi also used 'your faithful servant' while addressing the Viceroy? Does your client know that his grandmother (Indira Gandhi), when she was the prime minister, also sent a letter praising the gentleman (Savarkar), the freedom fighter?" Justice Datta asked senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who appeared for Gandhi.