The Allahabad High Court on Friday dismissed a petition seeking the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. The plea alleged that Gandhi made “anti-national” and “seditious” remarks during a political event in 2025.
The legal challenge was initiated by Simran Gupta, a member of the Hindu Shakti Dal. Gupta moved the High Court to challenge a lower court’s decision in Sambhal, which had previously rejected her application for directions to lodge an FIR against the Congress leader.
The controversy stems from a speech delivered by Rahul Gandhi during the inauguration of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) office in 2025. According to the petitioner, Gandhi stated, “We are now fighting the BJP, the RSS, and the Indian State itself.”
Represented by counsel, the petitioner argued that the remarks were intended to destabilize the country and deeply hurt public sentiments. The petition contended that characterizing a political struggle as a fight against the “Indian State” amounted to sedition and an anti-national statement.
Gupta sought the invocation of criminal laws, asserting that the Sambhal court had erred in its refusal to order an investigation into the matter.
Justice Vikram D. Chauhan presided over the matter and had previously reserved the order on April 8 after hearing extensive arguments from both the petitioner’s counsel and the representatives of the state government.
After considering the facts and the legal grounds presented, the Court found no merit in the challenge against the lower court’s refusal to register the FIR. The High Court’s dismissal effectively upholds the Sambhal court’s earlier ruling, bringing a conclusion to the attempt to initiate criminal proceedings over the specific 2025 speech.
