Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday, informed a Pune court that he perceives a direct and serious threat to his life from the complainant in an ongoing defamation case concerning his remarks on Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. The case, filed by Satyaki Savarkar, stems from comments Gandhi made during his Bharat Jodo Yatra in Maharashtra’s Akola district on November 17, 2022, where he allegedly described Savarkar as a “British servant” who accepted a pension from the colonial government.
In a formal application submitted through his lawyer, Milind Pawar, Gandhi stated that he harbors “grave apprehensions” about his safety. He linked these concerns to both his recent political statements and his previous criticism of Savarkar, noting that the political atmosphere surrounding him has grown increasingly hostile.
The application makes a striking allegation: that the complainant, Satyaki Savarkar, is a direct descendant—through his maternal lineage—of Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi, and Gopal Godse, a co-conspirator in the assassination. Rahul Gandhi’s plea emphasized that there exists a “documented history of violence and anti-constitutional tendencies” tied to this lineage. According to him, the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi was not an impulsive act but the result of a deliberate ideological conspiracy that culminated in violence against an unarmed leader.
Gandhi’s counsel underscored that the plea was “not a mere procedural formality,” but rather a protective legal measure intended to safeguard his personal safety as well as the fairness and transparency of the trial. The filing argued that Satyaki Savarkar might attempt to exploit the prevailing political circumstances to exert undue influence or pressure on the court, particularly since “followers of the complainant’s late so-called grandfather are presently in political power.”
In the application, Gandhi stressed that “there exists a clear, reasonable, and substantial apprehension” that he could be harmed, wrongfully implicated in fabricated charges, or otherwise targeted. He also warned that “history should not be allowed to repeat itself,” drawing a parallel to the events leading to Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination.
Adding to his claims, Rahul Gandhi alleged that his recent accusations of “vote chori” (vote theft) have further provoked his political opponents. He cited two specific public threats he claims to have received from senior BJP leaders—one from Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, who labeled him the “number one terrorist of the country,” and another from BJP leader Tarvinder Singh Marwah.
The criminal defamation case against Rahul Gandhi was initiated after Satyaki Savarkar objected to the remarks made during the 2022 rally, which he deemed derogatory to V D Savarkar’s legacy. At the time of filing, Savarkar had submitted both a CD recording and a transcript of Gandhi’s speech as evidence to the court.
