Defamation: Reflect on inappropriate remarks, says Singhvi; No need for lessons in decency, replies Himanta Sarma

Guwahati/New Delhi: Soon after the Supreme Court granted anticipatory bail to Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera in a defamation case, a fight broke out between Congress MPs Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Himanta Sarma, with the former asking him to reflect on his “grossly inappropriate” remarks.Kaira got relief after the Assam police filed a forgery and criminal case based on a complaint by Salma’s wife Riniki Bhuyan Sharma.Sarma hit back at Singhvi on X, “I don’t need lessons on democracy, public discourse or decency from anyone, least of all AM Singhvi. Decency and him can never be in the same room.” He said the issue concerned “an apolitical woman” whose character was defamed on national television using forged foreign documents. “I believe that sooner or later the courts will take notice and the guilty will be punished for their blatant defamation of women’s character,” he said.Welcoming the Supreme Court’s decision, Singhvi said the law was above all else and asked Sarma to reconsider whether it was appropriate for someone holding a constitutional office to use “grossly inappropriate” language against him. He said the SC had also cited this in its judgment and urged Sarma to express regret.Some of the remarks recorded were not suitable for repetition, he said, adding that such language undermined democratic values. Singhvi said the court had taken note of the remarks and the Solicitor General had not defended them.