Fresh hearing ordered on FIR against Rahul over remarks on Hindu god Ram

Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi File | Photo credit: PTI

A special court in Varanasi on Wednesday (Jun 10, 2026) set aside the order of a Magistrate’s Court dismissing a plea seeking registration of an FIR against Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over his remarks about the Hindu god Rama during an interaction in the United States in 2025.

Additional District Judge (MP/MLA Court) Yajuvendra Vikram Singh said the complaint required a fresh hearing, allowed the revision petition filed by advocate Hari Shankar Pandey and directed the magistrate court concerned to consider the complaint afresh.

A detailed order in the matter is awaited.

Accusing Mr Gandhi of referring to Lord Ram as a “mythological and fictitious character”, the petitioner said the comment deeply hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus and therefore amounted to hate speech.

In his plea, the defense counsel argued that the Congress leader’s comments had become more heinous as the Supreme Court of India had recognized the existence of Shri Ram Lalla in its judgment in the Ram Janmabhoomi dispute. He also mentioned the Supreme Court’s recent oral remarks expressing disapproval of Mr. Gandhi’s comments against VD Savarkar.

The lawyer appealed to the ADJ Court after the Magistrate’s Court dismissed his claim in May 2025.

Published – 11 June 2026 02:00 IST