The Allahabad High Court has dismissed a petition filed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi challenging an order by the MP/MLA Special Court in Varanasi, clearing the way for legal proceedings to continue against him over remarks made during a 2024 speech in the United States.

The case stems from Gandhi's comments made during a public interaction in the US last year, where he referred to alleged restrictions on religious freedom faced by Sikhs in India. His remarks triggered widespread criticism and were labelled by many as "provocative and divisive."

In his speech, Gandhi said:

"The fight is about whether he, as a Sikh, is going to be allowed to wear a turban in India; or whether, he, as a Sikh, will be allowed to wear a kada in India; or whether he, as a Sikh, is allowed to go to a Gurudwara. That’s what the fight is about."

Following the controversy, a Varanasi-based individual, Nageshwar Mishra, filed an application seeking the registration of an FIR against the Congress MP, claiming the remarks hurt religious sentiments.

Initially, in November 2024, the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) rejected the plea, noting that the speech was delivered abroad and therefore outside the court’s jurisdiction. However, on July 21 this year, the MP/MLA Special Court overturned that decision and directed the ACJM to reconsider the case, accepting Mishra’s revision petition.

Rahul Gandhi challenged this directive in the Allahabad High Court in August, arguing that the special court’s order was “wrong, illegal and without jurisdiction.” However, the high court has now dismissed his revision plea, effectively allowing the case to proceed in the Varanasi court.

This development could lead to fresh legal complications for Gandhi, who has faced multiple defamation and criminal cases in recent years, many of them stemming from his public statements.

With the case now set to return to the MP/MLA court in Varanasi, Gandhi’s legal team will likely prepare for further hearings, while the political implications of his US remarks continue to resonate ahead of upcoming elections.