Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi told a special MP/MLA court in Pune on Wednesday that his life is at risk due to his ongoing political confrontations and the family background of complainant Satyaki Savarkar. The case stems from alleged defamatory remarks Gandhi made about Vinayak Damodar Savarkar during a speech in London in March 2023. In an application filed through advocate Milind Dattatraya Pawar, Gandhi sought "preventive protection" from the State, calling it both "prudent" and a "constitutional obligation". He argued that this measure was necessary to safeguard the "fairness, integrity, and transparency" of the trial.
Rahul Gandhi to withdraw lawyer’s statement on security threat
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has strongly disagreed with a written submission made in court by his lawyer without his knowledge or consent, which cited a threat to his life. According to a party spokesperson, Rahul Gandhi did not authorise such a statement, and therefore, his legal team will withdraw it from the court on August 14 (Thursday).
Assassination of Mahatma Gandhi the result of a calculated conspiracy: Rahul Gandhi
Rahul Gandhi's application further said that Satyaki Savarkar, in a written statement dated July 29, admitted to being a direct descendant through maternal lineage of Nathuram Godse and Gopal Godse, principal accused in Mahatma Gandhi's assassination, as well as Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.
The plea argued that "the documented history of violent and anti-constitutional tendencies linked to the complainant's lineage" created a "reasonable and substantial apprehension" of potential harm or wrongful targeting.
It stressed that the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi was the result of a calculated conspiracy rooted in a specific ideology and warned against "history repeating itself".
Rahul Gandhi also pointed to his recent political interventions as contributing factors to the perceived threat. He referred to his August 11 slogan, "Vote Chor Sarkar", in Parliament and the submission of documents alleging electoral irregularities.
The plea mentioned his recent parliamentary statement, "A true Hindu is never violent. The BJP spreads hatred and violence," which, he said, led to immediate press conferences by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi accusing him of insulting Hindus.
Rahul Gandhi cites threats issued to him
The application further referenced two public threats, one by Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu calling Gandhi "the number one terrorist of the country” and another by BJP leader Tarvinder Singh Marwah.
Why the defamation case against Rahul Gandhi?
The defamation case was filed after Gandhi claimed in London that Vinayak Damodar Savarkar had once assaulted a Muslim man and found it "pleasurable", referencing an alleged account from Savarkar's writings. Satyaki Savarkar has denied the existence of such an account in published works, terming Gandhi's remarks "false, misleading, and defamatory".
He has sought Gandhi's conviction under Section 500 IPC and compensation under Section 357 CrPC. The court is scheduled to hear the matter next on September 10.