GUWAHATI: An FIR was registered against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Guwahati for his reported statement “The BJP and RSS have captured every single institution, and we are now fighting the BJP, the RSS, and the Indian State itself.”
The FIR was lodged by Monjit Chetia, with the Panbazar Police Station.
He said the statement, made in a public forum by a person who is holding the position of Leader of the Opposition, was not an ordinary political remark.
“…The informant believes that these remarks were made with deliberate design and calculated intent to undermine the sovereignty and integrity of the Indian State and to provoke rebellion against the democratically-elected central government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” the FIR read.
“The statement made by the accused has gone beyond the limits of permissible free speech and the same constitutes 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,” the FIR further read.
The complainant said the remarks were a manifestation of Gandhi’s 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, the complainant said.
“This behaviour 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 FIR further read.