Threat to Rahul Gandhi's life? Lawyer takes U-turn on claim, says submission made 'without consulting client'

Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. (File: PTI)

A day after claiming a threat to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's life in a formal written submission before a Pune court, the lawyer representing the leader in a defamation case iled by Satyaki Savarkar, the grandnephew of Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar, said he will move a formal application seeking to withdraw the said pursis as he filed it "without consulting his client".

The submission was made by Rahul Gandhi's lawyer Milind Pawar in a defamation case linked to the Lok Sabha LoP's remarks against Savarkar. The pursis, a formal written submission in court, was admitted by a special MP/MLA court in Pune on Wednesday.

"The pursis dated August 13 was filed by me in the court without instructions from the client. The contents of the pursis were drafted by me without consulting my client Rahul Gandhi. My client has taken strong exception to filing of this pursis and has expressed his disagreement with the contents. I shall file a formal application tomorrow for withdrawal of the said pursis before the court," Pawar said in a press statement issued last evening.

The statement came after the lawyer submitted before the court that there was “substantial apprehension that Rahul Gandhi may face harm” in light of his current political stand and Satyaki’s “lineage from Nathuram Godse”.

"The complainant, Satyaki Savarkar, has categorically admitted that he is a direct descendant through his maternal family lineage of Nathuram Godse and Gopal Godse, the principal accused in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi," the pursis stated.

“Rahul Gandhi has condemned the present government by raising the slogan ‘Vote Chor Sarkar’. He has produced documentary evidence alleging serious electoral irregularities, directly implicating the Election Commission in actions which, by their very nature, provoke hostility from those whose political power and ideological interests stand challenged. The apprehension of harm to Rahul Gandhi is neither abstract nor unfounded. In light of the documented history of violent and anti-constitutional tendencies linked to the complainant’s lineage, and considering the prevailing political climate, there exists a clear, reasonable, and substantial apprehension that Rahul Gandhi may face harm, wrongful implication, or other forms of targeting by persons subscribing to the ideology of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar,” it further said.

“Prudence demands that this apprehension be placed on record at this stage. The complainant himself has asserted descent from the associates of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassins. In view of the grave history associated with such lineage, the defence harbours a genuine and reasonable apprehension that history must not be permitted to repeat itself,” it added.

The remarks evoked a strong response from the complainant Satyaki Savarkar, the grandnephew of VD Savarkar, who termed the statements by the defence "completely baseless and appalling", reported The Indian Express.

"They have claimed apprehension of harm to Rahul Gandhi which is baseless because he has been exempted from physically attending the proceedings. The defence has been filing such frivolous applications and pursis every now and then and are trying to delay the entire case," the report quoted Savarkar as saying.