Rahul Gandhi Summoned Over Savarkar Remarks: Legal Battles Heat Up

Rahul Gandhi has been summoned to face trial in January 2025 for allegedly promoting enmity through statements about Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. The court found prima facie evidence supporting charges of promoting communal disharmony. This follows a reversal of a previous dismissal of the complaint against him.

Rahul Gandhi has been ordered to appear in court on January 10, 2025, over allegations that he incited enmity and disrupted social harmony through his comments about freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. The summons was issued by Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Alok Verma based on a criminal complaint by lawyer Nripendra Pandey.

The accusations stem from remarks made by Gandhi during his Bharat Jodo Yatra in November 2022, which were allegedly broadcasted and disseminated widely through various media. The court cited prima facie evidence in the complaint that Gandhi's statements violated sections 153(a) and 505 of India's Penal Code, related to promoting enmity and public mischief.

Initially dismissed in June 2023, the complaint was revived after a revisional court overturned the earlier decision. Police investigations confirmed that the controversial remarks were made in Maharashtra and broadcasted, leading to the legal order for Gandhi to face trial as tensions surrounding the case gain momentum.

(With inputs from agencies.)