Savarkar Filed 10 Mercy Petitions, Grandnephew Confirms in Defamation Trial

In the ongoing criminal defamation case against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Satyaki Savarkar, the grandnephew of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, testified in a Pune court that his granduncle had filed 10 mercy petitions with the British government. Satyaki asserted that this was a standard legal procedure available to prisoners under British rule, and stated that the language used in these petitions did not imply loyalty to the colonial regime, but were rather formal requests for sentence reduction.

During cross-examination, the court record noted that while other revolutionaries from that period—such as Rajguru, Batukeshwar Dutt, and Ashfaqulla Khan—did not file for clemency, Savarkar’s actions were consistent with the protocols of the time. Satyaki emphasized that filing such petitions was not illegal or unique to Savarkar, as other prisoners also sought remissions. The cross-examination also highlighted that the British government consistently rejected Savarkar's petitions, citing concerns that his release would reignite revolutionary activities against colonial rule.

The defamation case, brought by Satyaki against Rahul Gandhi, stems from comments made by the Congress leader in London regarding Savarkar’s activities during British rule. The proceedings are currently examining the historical context of the Hindutva ideologue's time in the Andaman jail. The court continues to weigh the claims of historical strategy against political accusations, with both sides presenting evidence on the nature and intent behind the clemency petitions.