FIR filed against Rahul Gandhi over remarks on Sikh rights
PTC News Desk: The Karnataka BJP has lodged a formal police complaint against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, following his recent remarks during a visit to the United States. The complaint, filed on Saturday at the High Grounds police station in Bengaluru, centers on Gandhi's comments about Sikh rights in India. He stated that the ongoing struggle in the country concerns whether Sikhs are allowed to wear a turban, kada (bracelet), and visit a gurdwara freely. BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya later confirmed that an FIR has been registered in connection with the complaint.
The FIR accuses Gandhi of making "divisive and provocative remarks" that allegedly target Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and threaten India's internal security, unity, sovereignty, and integrity through his comments regarding the Sikh community.
The Karnataka BJP unit has called for a thorough police investigation and legal action against Gandhi.
BJP leader and former Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao, who is the complainant, criticized Gandhi for his statements. “The BJP has filed a criminal complaint against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for making divisive remarks against OBCs and SCs, and for claiming that Sikhs are not safe in our country. Such statements paint a negative image of India by someone holding an important constitutional position,” Rao said.
He added that when Gandhi’s grandmother, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, was questioned on foreign soil about India’s internal matters, she firmly asserted that these were domestic issues, and Rahul Gandhi should take a lesson from her example.
Rao further explained that the BJP's complaint argues that Gandhi’s remarks have incited division and spread hatred among communities. "This is a non-bailable and cognizable offence, warranting the registration of an FIR," he stated.
The BJP’s legal move reflects their firm stance against what they perceive as damaging rhetoric that could incite communal tensions in India. As the case progresses, political tensions between the BJP and Congress are expected to intensify, especially with Gandhi being a key figure in the opposition.
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- With inputs from agencies
