Pune: Rahul Gandhi’s Presence Not Required In Savarkar Defamation Case, Says Lawyer

In the defamation case against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, his lawyer, Milind Pawar, during the hearing, told the Pune court on Monday that the Leader of the Opposition’s physical presence is not required.

Pawar said the case was filed by Satyaki Savarkar, the grandnephew of Hindutva leader Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, who had demanded that the court order Gandhi to remain present during the hearings. While opposing the demand, Advocate Pawar said the petition is “baseless and illegal” and should be dismissed immediately. Countering the demand, Pawar asked under which law such a demand had been made.

"The application was one-sided and without any legal backing. Additionally, no strong reason has been given for insisting on Gandhi’s personal presence in court. The case is part of a political plan by the BJP and RSS to harass Rahul Gandhi and keep him busy in court cases across the country," said Pawar.

While objecting to the references made in the petition about Nathuram Godse and Gopal Godse, the assassins of Mahatma Gandhi, Pawar said such references glorify the assassins and trivialise the gravity of Mahatma Gandhi’s murder.

The case pertains to certain comments allegedly made by Rahul Gandhi against VD Savarkar.

The court has fixed the next hearing for October 3.