The Supreme Court on Friday issued a stern warning to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his past remarks about freedom fighter VD Savarkar, while staying a trial court summons related to the controversy.

A bench comprising Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Manmohan made it clear that Gandhi must refrain from making any further “derogatory” statements against freedom fighters, especially those revered in certain parts of the country. 

The bench emphasised that VD Savarkar is “worshipped” in Maharashtra and warned of serious consequences if such comments continued.

 “We will not allow anyone to make statements against our freedom fighters. Next someone will say Mahatma Gandhi was a ‘servant to the British’,” the court observed during the hearing.

The judges questioned whether Gandhi understood historical context, referencing how even Mahatma Gandhi used the phrase “your faithful servant” while addressing the Viceroy. They also pointed out that his grandfather, former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, had once written a letter praising Savarkar.

In strong and clear terms, the court criticised Gandhi’s earlier remarks, calling them “irresponsible.” It added, “They gave us freedom and you treat them like this...”

Appearing on behalf of Rahul Gandhi, senior Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi argued for relief on legal grounds. Acknowledging the legal merit, the court granted a stay on the trial court’s summons. However, the bench reiterated that further inappropriate remarks would not be tolerated. “Let’s not make irresponsible statements on freedom fighters... you made a good point on law and are entitled to a stay,” the bench told Singhvi. The court also warned that any future such remarks could invite suo motu action.

Rahul Gandhi was not present at the hearing. He was in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, meeting victims of Tuesday’s terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 people, mostly civilians.

Gandhi is also expected to meet with representatives from local businesses affected by the sudden exodus of tourists following the attack. The incident has been claimed by The Resistance Front, a proxy of the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Authorities have identified five gunmen involved in the attack, and a massive manhunt is currently underway.