FIR registered against Rahul Gandhi over

An FIR has been filed against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The Haldwani police registered the case on Sunday, August 30, 2026, following a complaint from a member of the Valmiki community.

The First Information Report invokes multiple legal provisions. These include sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to promoting enmity between groups and outraging religious feelings. Police stated the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, has also been applied.

Basis of the complaint

The complainant is Amit Kumar, a resident of Jawahar Nagar and a member of the Shri Ram Sena Dharmarth Seva Nyas. He claimed to be present during a "ritual and cleanliness drive" at Haldwani's Ramlila Ground. Kumar alleged that remarks made by Rahul Gandhi at a New Delhi press conference on August 29 hurt community sentiments.

He accused Gandhi of giving a casteist spin to the event. Specifically, Kumar stated the Congress leader portrayed those involved in the ritual as practising "untouchability" and being "anti-Dalit". In his complaint, filed at the Haldwani police station, Kumar said he belongs to the Scheduled Caste community. He asserted that people from various societal sections, including Scheduled Castes, participated in the ritual. According to Kumar, the event had "no connection" to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's caste.

Political context of the dispute

The case stems from a political controversy that began earlier in August. Some individuals allegedly performed a 'purification yajna' at the Ramlila Ground in Haldwani on August 11. This occurred after a public meeting held at the same venue by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on August 8.

The incident sparked a fierce partisan exchange. The Congress party has labelled it a reflection of the BJP's anti-Dalit mindset. Conversely, the BJP defended the action. It claimed the venue was left littered after Kharge's rally and that inappropriate slogans were raised at the religious site.

Rahul Gandhi addressed the incident at his August 29 press conference. He criticised the 'purification' ritual and demanded the registration of an FIR under the SC/ST Act against those responsible. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra later echoed this demand. She described the incident as a reflection of a "reprehensible and shameful mindset" and alleged it violated the SC/ST Act. The police action, however, has now been directed against Rahul Gandhi himself based on the complaint from Amit Kumar.