In a bold legal move, Jaswant Gurjar, the general secretary of Congress' Rajasthan unit, has lodged a petition against BJP National President JP Nadda and the party's IT cell incharge Amit Malviya. The petition, filed at Jaipur Metropolitan Court-11, accuses the BJP leaders of offenses under IPC Section 499 (false imputation against another person), 500 (defamation), and 504 (intentional insult). The case stems from a controversial social media post by the BJP, portraying Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as a 'new age Ravan.'
The court has admitted the petition and is set to hear arguments on October 9. Gurjar asserts that the BJP leaders deliberately posted the controversial image on October 5 with malicious intent, seeking to harm the reputation of the Congress and its affiliates for political gain. The plea contends that the BJP portrayed Gandhi as anti-Ram and anti-religion, aiming to incite public sentiment against him, PTI reported.
Gurjar is urging the court to record statements from both accused individuals and launch an investigation into the matter. The Congress party has vehemently protested the poster nationwide, condemning it as 'unacceptable' and 'downright dangerous.'
The controversial poster, shared on the official BJP handle, depicted Gandhi with multiple heads and carried the caption, 'Bharat Khatre Mein Hai - A Congress party production. Directed by George Soros.' The accompanying BJP post labeled Gandhi as the 'new age Ravan,' describing him as evil, anti-Dharma, anti-Ram, and with the purported aim of destroying Bharat.
The reference to George Soros, a Hungarian-born American financier and philanthropist, is noteworthy. Soros had earlier faced criticism from the BJP following comments he made on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in response to a report by US short-seller Hindenburg Research on the Adani Group. The BJP's use of Soros in this context adds a layer of complexity to the political dynamics surrounding the controversy.