Bareilly court issues notice to Rahul Gandhi over caste census remark

The Bareilly District Court has issued a notice to Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi regarding his comments on the caste census during campaigning for parliamentary elections. The court issued a notice to Gandhi, directing him to appear on January 7.

The notice comes in response to a petition filed by Pankaj Pathak, who alleged that the remarks were like an "attempt to start a civil war in the country."

"We felt that the statement given by Rahul Gandhi during the elections on caste census was like an attempt to start a civil war in the country".

Initially, the petition was filed in the MP-MLA court, where it was dismissed. However, the petitioner pursued the matter by appealing to the District Judge Court. "Our appeal was accepted there, and a notice was issued to Rahul Gandhi," Pathak said.

The petitioner emphasized that the statement by Gandhi had the potential to incite division and unrest within the country, necessitating judicial intervention.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi continued to demand the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday, claiming that there has been an "Akraman on Samvidhan" (Full attack on Constitution) and that that the Bharatiya Janata Party, PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah did a grave mistake insulting B R Ambedkar.

Posting about the remarks in his accounts on his social media accounts (Facebook and Instagram), Gandhi said, "BJP, Narendra Modi and Amit Shah have committed the biggest mistake of their lives by attacking the Constitution and insulting Baba Saheb. India will not forgive this mistake. The Home Minister should apologize and resign."

He posted a montage of the multiple protests, marches and speeches Congress has taken out since the remarks of Amit Shah on Ambedkar.

Gandhi also highlighted a speech of his parliament, comparing it as a fight between Manusmriti and the Constitution, saying that one side defends the constitution

"It is written in the Constitution, prohibition of discrimination on grounds of race, caste, religion and place of birth...There is a battle taking place today in India. This side (pointing to his MPs) are the defenders of the idea of the Constitution," he had said in his speech in Parliament.