In the latest development in the matter pertaining to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s derogatory remarks against freedom fighter Veer Savarkar last year, Lucknow District and Sessions Judge Ashwini Kumar Tripathi have admitted a plea challenging the dismissal of a complaint filed against Gandhi in response to an application before ACJM Ambrish Kumar Srivastava.
According to complainant Nripendra Pandey, the Gandhi scion had deliberately made derogatory remarks against Veer Savarkat during the Maharashtra leg of his controversial Bharat Jodo Yatra.
The Lucknow District Judge issued a notice to Rahul Gandhi in this regard and transferred the case to MP/MLA court. The hearing on the matter will begin on November 1, 2023.
This comes after advocate Nripendra Pandey, last year, filed an application under section 156(3) of the CrPC requesting the registration of an FIR against Gandhi. The court, however, refused to direct the police to investigate and instead registered the case as a complaint. However, the complaint was later dismissed as being outside the jurisdiction of the court.
Derogatory comments of Rahul Gandhi against Veer Savarkar
The Congress scion had gone on a vitriolic tirade against Veer Savarkar during the Maharashtra leg of his ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra.’ On November 15, 2022, Rahul Gandhi claimed that the freedom fighter took a pension from the British government to work against the Indian National Congress (INC).
Again on November 17, last year, he reiterated that Veer Savarkar helped the British government and wrote mercy petitions “out of fear”. Rahul Gandhi accused the Indian freedom fighter of betraying the likes of Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel and Mahatma Gandhi in the Akola district of Maharashtra.
He alleged, “Veer Savarkar, in a letter written to the British, said – Sir, I beg to remain your most obedient servant” & signed on it. Savarkar helped the British. He betrayed leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru & Sardar Patel by signing the letter out of fear.”
He continued, “While he was lodged in Andaman jail, Savarkar wrote a letter to the British pleading with them that he be pardoned and released. He took a pension from the British and worked against Congress.”
“After coming out of jail, he accepted the British proposal and joined their force. The difference between Savarkar and Birsa Munda is that he died fighting against the British when he was just 24 years old,” Rahul Gandhi further claimed.
