New Delhi: In a move mirroring actions taken by Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina against her opposition, the Indian government has lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The case was filed in the Jharsuguda district of Odisha for allegedly making “anti-national” comments.

According to a statement by Kashmir Media Service, a senior police officer confirmed the registration of this case against the opposition leader. The FIR was filed following a complaint by members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), its youth wing, RSS, and Bajrang Dal, with the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Northern Range, Himanshu Lal, on February 5.

The FIR charges Gandhi under section 152, which criminalizes acts threatening India’s sovereignty and integrity, and section 197(1)(d) of the BNS, for spreading false or misleading information that could threaten the country’s unity and security. The complaint accuses Gandhi of making deliberate anti-national statements that allegedly harm every Indian citizen.

The IGP has forwarded the complaint to Jharsuguda Superintendent of Police Parmar Smit Parshottamdas for further inquiry and legal action. Acting on the SP’s directive, an FIR has been registered against Gandhi at the Jharsuguda police station under case number 31.

Rahul Gandhi has yet to issue a statement regarding the FIR. Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Srikant Jena remarked that the party is committed to opposing the ideologies of the BJP and RSS, and he would need to review the allegations before making further comments.