Varanasi Court Orders Rehearing in Case Against Rahul Gandhi Over 'Imaginary Ram' Remark

A Varanasi court will rehear a petition seeking an FIR against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for allegedly referring to Lord Ram as 'imaginary.' The case was initially dismissed by the Chief Judicial Magistrate (MP-MLA) court on June 10, 2026, but the senior court overturned this decision on Wednesday. Additional District Judge (ADJ) Yajuvendra Vikram Singh has directed the lower court to conduct a fresh hearing.

The petition, filed by advocate Harishankar Pandey on May 12 last year, claims that Rahul Gandhi made the controversial remark during a session with students at Brown University in the US on April 21, 2025. Pandey alleges that Gandhi's statements insult Hindu sentiments and demanded action under sections 163 and 4 of the BNS Act, which carry a potential five-year sentence if proven guilty.

The senior advocate argued that there is sufficient basis for the case to proceed, and the court has acknowledged the allegations. The next hearing is scheduled for the first week of the upcoming month.

Key Points

• Varanasi court orders a rehearing in a case against Rahul Gandhi over remarks on Lord Ram.
• The petition claims Gandhi called Lord Ram 'imaginary' during a session at Brown University in 2025.
• The lower court's dismissal of the petition in 2026 has been overturned by the senior court.
• Advocate Harishankar Pandey alleges the remarks insult Hindu sentiments and seeks action under specific legal provisions.
• The next hearing is set for the first week of the upcoming month.