Supreme Court Rebukes Rahul Gandhi Over Remarks on Savarkar
By Abhishek Jat, Advocate Background and Case Overview On April 25, 2025, the Supreme Court of India delivered a pointed admonition to Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, in connection with his contentious remarks regarding Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, a prominent figure in India's freedom movement. The apex court, while granting a stay on ongoing criminal defamation proceedings against Gandhi initiated in a Lucknow court, underscored the imperative of exercising restraint and responsibility when commenting on national icons and freedom fighters. The controversy originated from statements made by Gandhi during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Maharashtra's Akola district on November 17, 2022. Gandhi allegedly characterized Savarkar as a "servant of the British" and alluded to him receiving a pension from colonial authorities. These remarks prompted a criminal complaint by Advocate Nripendra Pandey, who asserted that Gandhi's statements were calculated...