AGENCY
new delhi, MAY 16
Two FIRs have been registered against Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi along with several party functionaries for organising an alleged unauthorised public meeting at the Ambedkar Kalyan Hostel in Darbhanga on Thursday, in violation of prohibitory orders and without permissions. Responding to the cases, Rahul Gandhi said, “These are all medals for me. There are 30-32 cases against me.” Amit Kumar, SDPO (Sadar), Darbhanga, said that the district administration had granted written permission to Congress to hold the event at Rajendra Bhavan (Town Hall) after a formal request by party workers. However, the authorities said there were “unauthorised” preparations for a separate programme at the Ambedkar Hostel campus.
“In view of these unauthorised preparations, the Darbhanga Sadar Sub-Divisional Magistrate issued preventive orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the enforcement of these orders was duly announced at the site,” Kumar said, adding that leaders and workers on the Ambedkar Hostel campus were “informed about the prohibitory orders and were requested to vacate the premises.”
“Despite being made aware of the prohibitory orders, Mohammad Sadab Akhtar, National Secretary of NSUI, along with local Congress workers, proceeded to organise a meeting at the hostel without permission. Chairs, tables, tents, fans, and microphones were set up forcibly, and the gathering went ahead with the participation of Rahul Gandhi and 18 other named individuals, as well as approximately 100 unidentified persons,” SDPO Kumar said. Kumar said that an FIR was registered at Laheriasarai police station under Sections 189(2), 189(5), and 132 of the BNS, along with the Loudspeaker Act, based on a complaint of Alok Kumar, district welfare officer of Darbhanga. Another FIR was filed under Section 223 of the BNS and the Loudspeaker Act, based on a complaint by Khurshid Alam, block welfare officer.
“The event was conducted without permission and in direct violation of the prohibitory orders. Video footage of the incident has been secured and is being used to identify others involved,” the SDPO said. Earlier in the day, at the Ambedkar Kalyan Hostel, Gandhi accused the local administration of barricading the road to the venue. “Do you know why they were not able to stop me?… Because I have the power of your backing… I came through the back doors.” Later, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge targeted the JDU-BJP government in Bihar, accusing it of “sheer dictatorship” by “preventing” Gandhi from holding the event in Darbhanga.
“Is communicating with Dalit, deprived and Backward Class students against the Constitution? Is it a sin to talk to them about their education, their recruitment exams and jobs,” Kharge asked in a post on X.
“It is the height of dictatorship that the JDU-BJP government prevented Rahul Gandhi from attending the ‘Shiksha Nyay Samvad’ programme at the Ambedkar Hostel in Darbhanga, Bihar,” he said.
Rahul Gandhi later claimed that authorities initially had no objection. “Earlier, they had no objection, but suddenly they tried to stop us. But that’s fine, we went ahead and did what we came to do. I spoke about the need for a caste census and called for breaking the 50% reservation cap in private universities and colleges. These are our demands, and we will see them through,” he said.
“I told them, If you want to stop me, go ahead, I have no problem. They didn’t stop me, so I went ahead,” the Congress leader said.
In a video shared on his social media account, Gandhi was seen telling the officials: “You do your job, I’ll do mine. Go ahead, stop me if you wish.” When asked repeatedly to halt the procession, Gandhi pointed towards the gathering and said, “If Section 144 has been imposed, then please enforce it. Do your duty.” In response, a police officer remarked, “We respect you,” to which Gandhi replied, “I respect you as well… I have given my word to the students that I will come.”
Later, SDM Vikas Kumar said, “They and their party members were given a complete briefing that Town Hall was allotted to them, the order was also issued yesterday itself at their request. Despite this, for reasons unknown, they insisted on going to the hostel, which was prohibited.”
He added, “Since he (Rahul Gandhi) has Z+ security, we had deployed police and magistrates from the airport to Town Hall accordingly. But they went elsewhere, where there was no deployment. I repeatedly told him that BNS 163 is in force, and not to enter within 200 metres, or we will be compelled to file an FIR. I informed them of this several times.”
