New Delhi: The grandnephew of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar on Monday (June 15) told a special MP/MLA court in Pune on Monday (June 15) that Savarkar had filed 10 mercy petitions seeking reduction of his sentence from the British government.Satyaki Savarkar, the grandnephew of Savarkar, who has filed a defamation case against Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi also told Special Judge Amol Shinde during cross-examination that there were other freedom fighters who refused to file clemency petitions before the British, reported LiveLaw.“It is true to say that, Savarkar had filed a clemency petition ten times,” Satyaki told the court.Satyaki was being cross examined by Gandhi’s counsel Milind Pawar.“It is true to say that, revolutionists from that same period – Rajguru, Batukeshwar Dutt, and Ashfaqulla Khan – did not file a clemency petition. It is true to say that, Savarkar filed a mercy petition within the first month after being sentenced,” Satyaki told the court.He added that his granduncle was labelled as a ‘Veer’ in a periodical run by the Gadar Organisation even before he was sent to the Andaman.“I was unaware that Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt had petitioned the British government, demanding to be treated as prisoners of war and refusing any concessions or acts of leniency. It is true to say that, Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt remained steadfast in their ideology and principles until the very end. I am aware that revolutionist Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt did not compromise on their principles and ideologies in their dealings with the British right to the end,” Satyaki told the court, reported LiveLaw.During the cross examination, Satyaki added that the language in these mercy petitions filed by Savarkar did not indicate his ‘loyalty’ to the British regime and the language used by Savarkar in the clemency petitions was keeping with the official protocol.“It is true to say that, filing a clemency petition to seek a reduction in the sentence was a standard procedure under the British government. It is true to say that, not only Savarkar but other prisoners also filed clemency petitions. It is true to say that, filing a clemency petition was neither exceptional nor illegal. It is not true to say that the language Savarkar used in that clemency petition was one of humility. It is not true to say that the petitions contained words expressing loyalty to the British government. It is true to say that, in that petition, Savarkar requested a reduction of his sentence,” said Satyaki.“It is true to say that, no prisoner was under any obligation to submit a mercy petition. It is true to say that, whether or not to file a mercy petition depended on the preference of the concerned prisoner. It is true to say that, these revolutionists endured great hardships; however, I do not know the names of the specific prisoners among them who filed mercy petitions,” he added.According to the complaint filed by Satyaki, Gandhi had claimed during the speech in London in March 2023 that V.D. Savarkar had written in a “book” that “he and five to six of his friends once beat up a Muslim man, and he (Savarkar) felt happy”.The complainant claimed in the defamation case that no such incident took place and neither did Savarkar write about it.