FIR against Rahul for remarks on Sikh rights

The Karnataka BJP on Saturday filed a complaint with the High Ground police station in Bengaluru against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s recent claims in the US that the fight in India was about whether Sikhs would be allowed to wear a turban, kada and visit a gurdwara.

BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya said, “An FIR has been filed against Rahul in Karnataka for his comments, vilifying the Sikh community, and his stance on doing away with reservations.”

The complaint seeks action against Rahul for “divisive and provocative remarks targeting the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs and endangering India’s internal security, sovereignty, unity and integrity by passing remarks about Sikhs”.

The complainant, BJP leader and former Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao said, “We have filed a criminal complaint against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, clearly spelling out offences of bringing divisiveness among communities through his remarks. He even claimed the Sikhs were not safe in India. Such statements paint a very poor picture of our country by a person holding an important constitutional post. The offence is non-bailable and cognisable.”

Malviya said, “The SCs, STs, OBCs and the Sikh community are up in arms against his divisive comments. As long as the BJP is there, Rahul will never succeed in his plan of ending reservations.”

Top BJP leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah and party president JP Nadda, have attacked Rahul for his statements, with Shah accusing Rahul of siding with anti-India forces. Banned organisation Sikhs for Justice chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, in a statement, backed Rahul’s remarks on Sikhs and used them to justify the Khalistan referendum.

Union minister Hardeep Puri likened Rahul’s approach to that of MA Jinnah, saying the latter would also either get what he wanted or destroy it all.