Rahul Gandhi Faces Heat Over Lord Ram Remark; Varanasi Court Hearing On May 19

Varanasi court is set to hear a complaint filed against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on May 19, in connection with remarks he made during a recent address at Brown University in the United States. The complaint accuses Gandhi of referring to Lord Ram as a "mythological and fictional character," a statement the complainant claims amounts to hate speech and has deeply offended the religious sentiments of followers of Sanatan Dharma.

The petition, filed by Advocate Harishankar Pandey, urges the court to direct registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against Gandhi under appropriate penal provisions.

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) has also been named as a respondent in the case, in light of its role as the central decision-making body of the Indian National Congress.

According to the complainant, Gandhi's remarks made on April 21 during an interaction at Brown University in Boston, represents a wilful attempt to denigrate religious beliefs, create communal discord and constitutes hate speech.

The complaint calls for legal accountability, asserting that such statements, when made by public figures with significant influence must be met with serious scrutiny.

The court has acknowledged the petition and will take up the matter on May 19.

The development seems to add a fresh legal dimension to political discourse surrounding hate speech and accountability in cross-border political commentary.