Guwahati: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has found himself in legal controversy following remarks made during the inauguration of his party’s new headquarters in Delhi on January 15, 2025. An FIR has been filed against him in Guwahati for allegedly making statements about “fighting Indian state”.
The complaint, filed at Pan Bazar Police Station under sections 152 and 197(1)d of the BNS, was triggered by Gandhi’s statement that “the BJP and RSS have captured every single institution, and we are now fighting the BJP, the RSS, and the Indian State itself.”
Monjit Chetia, who filed the complaint, accused Gandhi of creating a “dangerous narrative” that could potentially incite unrest and separatist sentiments. “By declaring that his fight is against the ‘Indian State itself,’ the accused has consciously incited subversive activities and rebellion among the populace,” Chetia stated in his complaint.The FIR alleges that Gandhi’s remarks represent an attempt to delegitimise state authority and portray it as a hostile force. According to the complaint, these statements are particularly concerning given Gandhi’s position as a prominent opposition leader.“As the Leader of Opposition, Gandhi has a responsibility to maintain public confidence in democratic institutions, but instead, he chose to exploit his platform to spread falsehoods and provoke rebellion, endangering the unity and sovereignty of India,” the FIR states.
The complainant suggested that Gandhi’s comments stemmed from frustration over repeated electoral defeats, claiming that “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.”The case has been registered as a cognisable and non-bailable offence, with the complainant arguing that Gandhi’s remarks represent a direct challenge to the integrity and stability of the Indian State.