Satyaki Savarkar, grandnephew of Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar, told a special court on Tuesday that Savarkar “never hated Muslims” and had written about their progress.
Satyaki made the remarks while being cross-examined by advocate Milind Pawar in a criminal defamation case filed against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over statements he allegedly made in London in 2023.
Satyaki Says Gandhi Portrayed Savarkar as Muslim-Hater
During the hearing, Pawar asked Satyaki to identify the exact words in Gandhi’s alleged speech that he believed lowered the reputation of V D Savarkar.
Satyaki referred to Gandhi’s alleged statement that Savarkar had written in a book about assaulting a Muslim youth along with five or six friends and taking pleasure in the incident.
“By these words, Savarkar was portrayed as an extreme hater of Muslims and as a mob lyncher. Savarkar never hated Muslims. Rather, in his writings, he showed the ways and means for their progress,” Satyaki told the court.
The defamation case centres on Gandhi’s alleged claim that Savarkar had described such an incident in one of his writings. Satyaki has maintained that no such incident is mentioned in Savarkar’s works.
Nathuram Godse’s Brother’s Interview Submitted
During the proceedings, advocate Pawar also submitted a 2004 video interview of Gopal Godse, along with its transcript.
Gopal Godse was the younger brother of Nathuram Godse, who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi in 1948. Gopal Godse was also convicted as a co-conspirator in the assassination.
Pawar submitted the material in connection with claims concerning Nathuram Godse’s association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The evidence was placed before the court during the ongoing cross-examination.
The criminal defamation proceedings were initiated by Satyaki Savarkar, who has accused Rahul Gandhi of making a false claim about V D Savarkar’s writings and damaging his reputation.
The court is continuing to hear evidence and arguments in the case.
