The Allahabad High Court on Friday dismissed a petition seeking registration of an FIR against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi over his controversial statement about “fighting the Indian state.” Justice Vikram D. Chauhan rejected the plea filed by Simran Gupta of Hindu Shakti Dal, who argued that Gandhi’s remarks were seditious and anti‑national. The court upheld earlier orders of a Sambhal court and a revision court, both of which had refused to direct FIR registration.
The controversy stems from Gandhi’s January 2025 remarks at the inauguration of the Congress headquarters in New Delhi, where he said the party was fighting the BJP, RSS, and “the Indian state itself.” While BJP leaders accused him of undermining sovereignty, Gandhi maintained the comments were aimed at highlighting institutional capture. An FIR had already been registered against him in Assam under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), but the Allahabad High Court found no grounds to intervene in the Sambhal matter. The dismissal underscores the judiciary’s cautious approach in treating politically charged rhetoric as criminal conduct.