Rahul Gandhi Flags Threat to Life, Cites Savarkar Defamation Case Complainant’s Lineage

Mumbai: Congress leader Raul Gandhi, in an application filed through his lawyer on Wednesday, informed a Pune court of a threat to his life, citing the lineage of Satyaki Savarkar—the complainant in a defamation case filed against him over remarks made about Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.

Mr. Gandhi cited two public threats in support of his claim — one from Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, who allegedly called him the “number one terrorist of the country,” and another from BJP leader Tarvinder Singh Marwah, who warned that Mr. Gandhi must “behave well or face the same fate as his grandmother”.

Advocate Milind Pawar, representing Mr. Gandhi, filed the application before the special MP/MLA court in Pune, urging it to take judicial notice of these threats. The application emphasised what Mr. Gandhi described as “grave apprehensions” regarding his personal safety and the fairness of the ongoing proceedings.

It further noted that in a written statement submitted on July 29, Satyaki Savarkar had categorically admitted to being a direct descendant — through his maternal lineage — of Nathuram Godse and Gopal Godse, the principal accused in Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination. He also claimed descent from V.D. Savarkar.

“In light of the documented history of violent and anti-constitutional tendencies linked to the complainant’s lineage, and considering the prevailing political climate, there exists a clear, reasonable, and substantial apprehension that Gandhi may face harm, wrongful implication, or other forms of targeting by persons subscribing to the ideology of Vinayak Savarkar,” the application stated.

Mr. Gandhi also referred to his recent political interventions, including the slogan “Vote Chor Sarkar” raised in Parliament on August 11 and the submission of documents alleging electoral irregularities, which, he claimed, have intensified hostility from his political opponents. He requested “preventive protection” from the State and urged the court to safeguard the fairness of the legal process.

The defamation case stems from a speech Gandhi delivered in London in March 2023, in which he referenced an incident in Savarkar’s writings that allegedly described the assault of a Muslim man by Savarkar and others, calling it “pleasurable.”

Satyaki Savarkar has disputed the existence of such an account in the published works of Savarkar and filed the case, alleging the remarks were false, misleading, and defamatory. He has sought Gandhi’s conviction under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code and compensation under Section 357 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

The case will next be heard on September 10.