FIR against Rahul Gandhi in Guwahati over ‘Indian state’ remark
The FIR cites Section 152 of the BNS, which criminalises acts inciting secession, rebellion, or threatening India’s unity and sovereignty
The new headquarters of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) was inaugurated on January 15 at Kotla Road in Delhi (Source: @RahulGandhi/ X)
Guwahati, Jan. 19: A case has been registered against the Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi at the Panbazar Police Station in Guwahati, following allegations of inflammatory remarks against the Indian State.
The First Information Report (FIR), lodged on Saturday by practicing advocate Monjit Chetia, accuses Gandhi of making a public statement that allegedly undermines the sovereignty and integrity of India.
The remarks were made on January 15 during the inauguration of the Congress Party’s new headquarters at Kotla Road in Delhi.
In the contentious statement, Gandhi said, “The BJP and RSS have captured every single institution, and we are now fighting the BJP, the RSS, and the Indian State itself.”
Leader of Opposition and Congress MP, Rahul Gandhi, at the new AICC headquarters in Kotla Road, Delhi on January 15 (Source: @RahulGandhi/ X)
Chetia’s FIR argues that Gandhi’s statement transcends the bounds of constitutionally protected free speech and constitutes a challenge to national stability.
The FIR invokes Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which criminalises acts inciting secession, armed rebellion, or activities jeopardising India’s unity and sovereignty.
“The informant believes these remarks were made with deliberate design and calculated intent to provoke rebellion against the democratically elected Central government and the Honourable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi,” the FIR, a copy of which is in possession of The Assam Tribune, reads.
It further alleges that Gandhi’s declaration of fighting the “Indian State” was an attempt to delegitimise governmental authority, foster subversive activities, and encourage separatist sentiments.
Chetia asserts that the remarks have aggravated tensions on social media, amplifying their potential to incite public disorder.
The FIR calls attention to Gandhi’s alleged frustration over repeated electoral losses, claiming that his speech reflects a strategy to undermine public trust in democratic institutions.
“By exploiting his platform to spread falsehoods and provoke rebellion, the accused endangers the unity and sovereignty of India,” the FIR reads.