Savarkar's grandson files defamation against Rahul Gandhi. Here's why

Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar's grandson Satyaki Savarkar on Wednesday filed a defamation case against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his recent remarks in London. Satyaki - who is Veer Savarkar's brother's son, shared a purported video on Twitter where Rahul Gandhi is seen addressing the public, and said, “Today, I have filed a complaint for criminal defamation against Rahul Gandhi for his false allegations made in this speech against my grand father late Shri. Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.”

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In the video, Gandhi is heard saying: “So if five people beat up a Muslim man and one person is experiencing happiness, then this is cowardice. If you want to fight then go fight single-handedly. But no, 5-6 people along with Savarkar went to beat the man.”

According to Satyaki, Gandhi's remark is “an insult” because “the incident is imaginary”.

“Rahul Gandhi went to England last month and in one of the gatherings commented that Veer Savarkar wrote in his book that he, along with his 5-6 friends, was beating a Muslim person and Veer Savarkar enjoyed it. We have been hearing a lot from Rahul Gandhi and some of his followers about so-called petitions and pensions. Those were actually sustenance allowance and clemency petitions. We have reached the court,” he told the news agency ANI.

Gandhi - who was recently disqualified from Lok Sabha after a conviction in another defamation case for a 'Modi surname' remark - has been receiving flak from other leaders for targeting Savarkar and their ideologue.

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A day after his disqualification, Gandhi had said, “My name is not Savarkar, my name is Gandhi and Gandhi does not offer an apology to anyone.”

Meanwhile, last year during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, the Congress leader had alleged that “Savarkar would write mercy petitions to be freed from the Andaman cellular jail and also accepted a pension from the British,” and claimed, “Savarkar had helped the British government during the freedom struggle”.

(With inputs from ANI)