FIR registered against Rahul Gandhi in Assam

Guwahati (India), January 19 — A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in Assam's Guwahati for his ‘Indian state’ remark.

The FIR against Rahul Gandhi has been registered at the Pan Bazar Police station in Guwahati, the largest city of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled state, news agency ANI reported. It is under sections 152 and 197(1)d of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for ‘acts endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India.'

In his complaint, Monjit Chetia accused the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha of ‘crossing the limits of permissible free speech’ and claimed that Gandhi 'posed a serious threat to public order and national security.'

“By declaring that his fight is against the ‘Indian state itself,’ the accused has consciously incited subversive activities and rebellion among the populace. This is an attempt to delegitimize the authority of the state and to portray it as a hostile force, thereby creating a dangerous narrative that could provoke unrest and separatist sentiments,” Chetia said in his complaint.

The complainant alleged that Gandhi's remark stemmed from ‘frustration’ over repeated electoral failures.

"Having been unable to gain public trust through democratic means, the accused now seeks to incite disaffection against the central government and the Indian state. This is particularly alarming, given his position as the Leader of the Opposition, a role that comes with the responsibility to maintain public confidence in democratic institutions. Instead, the accused has chosen to exploit his platform to spread falsehoods and provoke rebellion, endangering the unity and sovereignty of India," the complaint mentioned.

Gandhi, the Rae Bareli MP, made the statement on Wednesday during the inauguration of the Congress' new headquarters in Delhi.

He was reacting to India's ‘true independence’ comment by Mohan Bhagwat, the head of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ruling BJP's ideological mentor.

—Hindustan Times