Mass rapist comment: K’taka HC quashes PIL against Rahul Gandhi

Bengaluru (The Uttam Hindu) : The Karnataka High Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, concerning derogatory remarks he allegedly made about former MP Prajwal Revanna. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on the petitioner. The division bench, led by Justices N.V. Anjaria and K.V. Arvind, noted that the issue at hand should not be addressed through a PIL, emphasizing that they were not evaluating the merits of Gandhi's speech.

During a campaign rally ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi reportedly referred to Prajwal Revanna as a "mass rapist," claiming he had assaulted 400 women. The All India Dalit Action Committee filed the petition, arguing that these statements were humiliating to women from the Hassan district and unconstitutional. The committee highlighted that no evidence of any rapes had been presented, nor had any complaints been lodged by women regarding Gandhi's claims.

Chi Na Ramu, the national president of the All India Dalit Action Committee, demanded legal action against Rahul Gandhi, asserting that the remarks had created distrust among residents in Hassan. The PIL sought to hold Gandhi accountable for what was described as "hate speech," alleging that it outraged the modesty of women and disrespected the Constitution. It also called for an unconditional apology from Gandhi and sought compensation for the misuse of his public position.