Pune, August 13: Congress leader and Lok Sabha opposition chief Rahul Gandhi has told a special court in Pune that he faces a “reasonable threat” to his life from individuals subscribing to the ideology of Hindu nationalist leader Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, amid ongoing criminal defamation proceedings against him.
In a written submission, or pursis, filed by his lawyer Milind Pawar, Gandhi alleged that the complainant in the case, Satyaki Savarkar, is linked by lineage to both the Savarkar and Godse families, and could misuse his influence. Nathuram Godse, a former associate of Savarkar, assassinated Mahatma Gandhi in 1948.
The case stems from remarks Gandhi made against Savarkar. The pursis cited threats from Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, including one who allegedly called Gandhi a “terrorist” and another who warned he could “face the same fate” as his grandmother, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Gandhi’s filing claimed there was a “documented history” of violent and anti-constitutional tendencies associated with the complainant’s ideological forebears, and alleged that Hindutva supporters have, in some instances, seized political power through unconstitutional means, manipulated elections, and favoured certain industrialists over the poor.
As Leader of the Opposition, Gandhi said he is challenging such policies and speaking for marginalised communities, which, he argued, makes him a potential target for “caste-based extremists, politically motivated industrialists, and Hindutva supporters.” He urged the court to remain vigilant about “forces, influences and extraordinary circumstances” surrounding the case, while affirming his faith in the judiciary’s independence.
