Savarkar Defamation: Complainant opposes Rahul Gandhi's plea to bring historical evidence on record

Satyaki Ashok Savarkar, a relative of the late Hindutva icon Vinayak Savarkar and complainant in the Savarkar defamation case, has objected to the plea by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to convert the nature of the trial in the case from a summary trial to a summons trial..The case stems from Gandhi’s controversial speech in London in March 2023 in which he allegedly made defamatory remarks about Vinayak Savarkar’s actions. Gandhi had reportedly referred to Savarkar’s writings about an incident where Savarkar, along with others, allegedly assaulted a Muslim man - a situation Savarkar supposedly found “pleasurable.” Satyaki Savarkar filed the defamation complaint in 2023, refuting Gandhi’s claim and asserting that no such incident involving Savarkar is mentioned in his works.Gandhi recently filed a plea to convert the trial in the defamation case to a summons trial so that he can bring historical facts and detailed evidence on record to back up his statements.Satyaki Ashok Savarkar has now objected to the same.In his affidavit filed through advocate SA Kolhatkar, Savarkar has accused Gandhi of attempting to divert the focus of the case by raising irrelevant arguments about Savarkar's contributions to the Indian freedom struggle. “The accused is again deliberately trying to divert the matter by raising irrelevant arguments about Veer Savarkar’s contributions during the Indian freedom struggle. The accused has raised issues regarding certain historical facts, which are irrelevant to the core subject matter of this case,” the reply states..The reply has rejected Gandhi’s assertion that the case involves complex questions of fact and law, claiming that such an argument is without merit. "The assertion that this case involves complex questions of fact and law is unfounded,” the reply reads. It has stressed that the accused cannot dictate how the court should conduct the trial. Savarkar's counsel also emphasized the importance of allowing the case to proceed promptly without further delays.In his reply, Savarkar has highlighted Gandhi’s history of making defamatory remarks, which has resulted in multiple legal proceedings. “Rahul Gandhi, has a documented history of making defamatory remarks...it can be inferred that he is a habitual offender making defamatory statements,” the response adds, referencing Gandhi's previous conviction in a defamation case in Gujarat that led to his temporary disqualification from the Lok Sabha..Savarkar’s reply has also challenged Gandhi’s use of historical references to justify his actions, asserting that such arguments are merely a tactic to delay the trial. “"This speech holds no historical significance, and such an argument is merely a tactic to prolong the case,” the reply states.Savarkar’s counsel has requested the court to reject Gandhi’s application to change the trial’s nature and allow the case to proceed beyond its preliminary stages.The Pune court is scheduled to hear the defamation case next on March 19.