In a setback to Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi in Sikh remarks row, the Allahabad High Court on Friday dismissed Gandhi’s revision petition that challenged the order of the MP/MLA Special Court in Varanasi.
The case relates to remarks made by Gandhi during a trip to the US pertaining to whether the Sikhs in India feel safe wearing turbans or visiting gurdwaras. One Nageshwar Mishra of Varanasi then filed a complaint against Gandhi in a Varanasi court, claiming the latter’s “provocative” comment could disturb communal harmony.
Rahul Gandhi had challenged the order of the Special MP/MLA Court in Varanasi, which had accepted the petition filed against him. The magistrate court initially dismissed the plea on the grounds that the alleged remarks had been made outside India and therefore required sanction from the Central government to proceed. But, Mishra then approached the Sessions Court, which overturned the dismissal and asked the lower court to hear the case again.
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Gandhi challenged this order by the Sessions Court in the Allahabad High Court, with his lawyer arguing that the remarks had been taken out of context and Gandhi did not intend to incite violence or rebellion.
“You cannot pick a single line from a speech and twist its meaning,” the counsel told the court. The Uttar Pradesh government’s lawyer argued that Gandhi has a responsibility for his words, being a political leader.
After hearing both sides, the High Court reserved its order and directed the Varanasi court to wait until its decision is delivered.
However, following the Allahabad High Court’s decision, the case will now proceed to the MP/MLA Court in Varanasi.
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