Rahul Gandhi's lawyer says withdrawing ‘threat to life’ plea in defamation case

Application was drafted “without consulting my client Shri Rahul Gandhi”, says lawyer, who had had highlighted complainant's family link to Savarkar and Godse

Hours after reports of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi having claimed “threat to life” during the hearing of a defamation case filed by Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar's kin in Pune, his lawyer has said he did not have Gandhi's consent for the submission and will thus withdraw it.

Rahul Gandhi cited the complainant's lineage while claiming threat to his life. (ANI)

Advocate Milind Pawar, who filed the application before the Pune court for the Congress leader, was quoted by Mint as saying that he filed the application “without instructions from the client”.

“My client has taken strong exception to filing of this [application…] and has expressed his disagreement with the contents,” he added.

“The contents… were drafted by me without consulting my client Shri Rahul Gandhi,” he said.

He said he would file a formal application on August 14 for withdrawal of the application.

What application said

The matter came up during the ongoing criminal defamation case filed against Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on VD Savarkar, LiveLaw reported.

Advocate Milind Pawar mentioned the lineage of petitioner Satyaki Savarkar as a factor.

The application reportedly said, “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.”

It added, as per LiveLaw, “The complainant himself has asserted descent from the associates of Mahatma Gandhi's assassins. In view of the grave history associated with such lineage, the Defence harbours a genuine and reasonable apprehension that history must not be permitted to repeat itself. It is also necessary to note that the ideology of Hindutva, followed by the complainant's ideological forebears, has in several instances assumed political power through unconstitutional means.”

Satyaki Savarkar reportedly filed a defamation case against Rahul Gandhi after he made a speech in London in March 2023, where he referred to an incident in Savarkar's writings, citing that Savarkar and others purportedly assaulted a Muslim man and found 'pleasure' in it.

The complainant has disputed the existence of such a writing in Savarkar's works, moving the court to contend that Rahul Gandhi's remarks were misleading and defamatory.