Varanasi Court Orders Rehearing of Plea Against Rahul Gandhi Over Remarks On Sikhs In India
In 2024, Gandhi allegedly made an objectionable statement during his US visit, asserting that there was an atmosphere of insecurity among Sikhs in India;
A Varanasi MP-MLA court has directed a fresh hearing into a complaint filed against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for allegedly making objectionable remarks about the Sikh community during a 2024 event in the US.
The complaint, initially dismissed by a magistrate, was filed by Nageshwar Mishra, a local resident and former village head of Tilmapur Sarnath. He alleged that Gandhi had falsely claimed Sikhs in India feel unsafe and are not allowed to wear turbans or visit gurdwara, comments which, according to Mishra, could provoke communal unrest.
Special Sessions Judge (MP-MLA court) Yajurveda Vikram Singh allowed Mishra’s revision plea, observing that the additional chief judicial magistrate (ACJM) had prematurely dismissed the case on November 28, 2024. Court has now directed that the complaint be reconsidered and proceeded with as per law.
The next stage will involve a re-examination of the complaint to assess whether it warrants formal registration of a case.
Rahul Gandhi’s US remarks had triggered controversy last year, after he claimed that Sikhs in India live under an atmosphere of insecurity. Mishra, in response, filed a petition arguing the comment was part of a larger conspiracy to trigger a ‘civil war’.
Although the ACJM (MP-MLA) court had rejected the petition in November 2024, Mishra challenged the decision by moving a revision plea before the sessions court.
During the proceedings, Gandhi submitted a written response opposing Mishra’s plea. In turn, the court’s monitor filed a counter-objection, arguing that the complaint merited deeper judicial examination