Varanasi, 08 May (HS): The Chetganj

police in Varanasi have filed a FIR against Uttar Pradesh Congress’ Committee

(UPCC) president Ajay Rai on grounds of uttering comments detrimental to

national cohesion and encouraging public mischief following his remarks about

Rafale jets fighters. The FIR was filed on Wednesday evening in response to a

complaint made by Pradeep Kumar Gupta, president of Rashtriya Hindu Shakti

Vahini. The complaint referenced Rai’s snarky Neebu-Mircha (lemon and chili)

jibe, which gained popularity after being covered in Pakistani media. According

to Gaurav Kumar, the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) of Chetganj, a FIR

was filed against Ajay Rai under sections 191(1) and 353(2) of the Bharatiya

Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in response to Pradeep Kumar Gupta’s allegation. Gupta’s accusation characterized Rai’s

remarks as an act of sedition.

Rai was accused of trying to

belittle the Indian armed services by presenting the Rafale fighter as a toy

with a lemon and chili dangling from it. Gupta further said that Rai made these

remarks solely to get media attention and demoralize the military personnel. He

accused Rai of sedition, inciting communal tensions, distributing falsehoods,

and breaching the Information Technology Act.

This case has been registered on

complaint of Pradeep Gupta, national president of Rashtriya Hindu Shakti

Vahini. Pradeep Gupta, a resident of the cantonment area, lodged a written

complaint at the police station alleging that Ajay Rai presented the Rafale

aircraft as a toy, hung lemon-chilli on it and ridiculed the Indian Army by

displaying it on a public platform. Crimes like treason have been committed

with the intention of breaking the morale of the Indian Army. Gupta alleged

that this statement of Ajay Rai was shown prominently in the Pakistan media,

due to which this act falls under the category of treason, spreading communal

frenzy, spreading rumors and crime under the IT Act. Such activities were not

only an evil attempt to demoralize the Indian Army but also an evil attempt to

boost the morale of the enemy nation Pakistan and promote an anti-national

environment. Chetganj police station in-charge has confirmed that a case has

been registered against Ajay Rai in this matter.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi