Vinayak Savarkar did not hate Muslims, wanted their progress: Savarkar kin to Pune court

Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi falsely depicted Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar as an extreme hater of Muslims and a mob lyncher, Savarkar's grandnephew Satyaki Savarkar told a Pune court on Tuesday [Satyaki Savarkar v. Rahul Gandhi]..Satyaki said that Vinayak Savarkar did not hate Muslims as claimed by Gandhi; rather he wanted their progress, Satyaki said..Satyaki was testifying as part of the trial in the criminal defamation case filed by him against Gandhi for the latter's speech in London in 2023 in which he allegedly referred to an incident described in Savarkar’s writings.Rahul Gandhi reportedly claimed that Vinayak Savarkar, along with others, had assaulted a Muslim man and found the act “pleasurable.”.Satyaki’s criminal complaint in Pune court alleged that Gandhi’s speech was highly defamatory. Satyaki is currently being cross-examined in the matter by Gandhi's lawyer. In his cross examination, Gandhi’s counsel, advocate Milind D Pawar, asked Satyaki on Tuesday to recount the exact defamatory words used by Gandhi. Satyaki then recounted how Gandhi claimed Savarkar had written a book in which he and couple of his friends were described beating a Muslim man and found the same to be enjoyable. Satyaki vehemently rejected this characterisation. “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,” the grandnephew claimed. .Vinayak Savarkar never hated Muslims. Rather, in his writings, he showed the ways and means for their progress.Satyaki Savarkar.The cross examination took place before Judicial Magistrate Amol Shinde.During the proceedings, Pawar also explored Vinayak Savarkar's criminal record under British rule. “"To the best of my knowledge, the British had accused Savarkar of waging war against the British and of being involved in the murder of Collector Jackson at Nashik,” Satyaki said. Satyaki was also questioned about the Kapur Commission constituted to enquire into Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination. He denied it was formed to ascertain VD Savarkar’s involvement in the same. .He informed that the Commission had been constituted to inquire into whether figures like Balukaka Kanitkar or the government had prior knowledge of the assassination plot and what administrative actions were subsequently taken. “It is true to say that, after the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, my grandfather Gopal Godse wrote books. It is true to say that, some of those books were written in connection with the trial concerning the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. It is true to say that, my grandfather, Gopal Godse, described the trial relating to the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi in the book “Gandhi Hatya Ani Mee,” he added.Satyaki's counsel Sangram Kothalkar opposed the questions posed by Gandhi's lawyer. However, the Court decided it will consider these objections at the time of the final judgment..During the previous hearing on August 17, Satyaki had told the Pune court that his maternal grandfather, Gopal Godse, and granduncle, Nathuram Godse, were active members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). On Tuesday, Pawar showed the Court video interviews of Gopal Godse. The transcript, read aloud in court, featured Gopal Godse discussing the ideological differences between the Hindu Mahasabha and the RSS, and confirming that Nathuram Godse was a swayamsevak (volunteer) of the RSS. The cross-examination will resume on September 3.