Overview

• The Supreme Court granted an interim stay on criminal proceedings and summons against Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case over his 2022 remarks on Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.
• A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Manmohan issued notices to the complainant, Advocate Nripendra Pandey, and the Uttar Pradesh government for their responses to Gandhi’s plea.
• The court rebuked Gandhi, labeling his remarks about Savarkar as irresponsible and cautioning against further derogatory statements about freedom fighters.
• The justices highlighted that even Mahatma Gandhi and Indira Gandhi had expressed respect for Savarkar, emphasizing the need for historical awareness in public commentary.
• BJP leaders responded to the court’s decision by asserting that the stay does not absolve Gandhi and called for an apology over his remarks.