New Delhi, January 4, 2024 : A Magistrate court in Thane has directed veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh to issue a written apology, bearing his signature, for posting an alleged defamatory message on X (formerly Twitter). The post targeted former RSS chief Golwalkar Guruji.
- Alleged Defamatory Post: Singh had posted a message on social media on July 8, 2023, which the complainant, RSS swayamsevak Vivek Champanerkar, claimed caused great disrepute to the RSS organization. Digvijaya Singh through his tweet had commented that M S Golwalkar the former RSS chief was against equal rights to Dalits, backwards and Muslims. The tweet had drawn a sharp rebuttal from the Hindutva organisation.
- Defamation Lawsuit: Champanerkar filed a defamation civil suit against Singh, seeking compensation and damages amounting to Rupee 1 for the harm caused by the post.
- Deletion of Offending Post: Singh’s advocate informed the court that the controversial social media post had been deleted, arguing that this should bring the defamation case to a close.
- Opposition from Complainant: Advocates representing Champanerkar opposed the closure of the case without a formal written apology from Singh.
- Court’s Decision: Magistrate P Suryawanshi adjourned the hearing to January 29, directing Singh to submit a written apology with his signature to the court.
It’s noteworthy that despite the deletion of the contentious post, the court has mandated a written apology, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging the potential harm caused by defamatory statements.
This legal episode underscores the significance of responsible social media usage and the legal consequences that may follow defamatory actions. The outcome of the case will be closely watched, with the next hearing scheduled for January 29, 2024.
