Police in Varanasi filed a First Information Report against Congress Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and two other lawmakers following a skit in New Delhi.

The legal action highlights the tension between political satire and laws regarding religious sentiment in India. The case centers on a performance staged inside the Parliament complex that targeted the government's handling of donations.

Authorities registered the FIR against three [1] politicians, including Rahul Gandhi, Independent MP Rajesh Ranjan, also known as Pappu Yadav, and Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad [2]. The charges stem from a skit regarding alleged theft of donations intended for the Ram Mandir.

Police officials said the performance portrayed the donations as theft and insulted Sanatan Dharma. The reports indicate that the act hurt Hindu religious sentiments, leading to the complaints filed on Saturday [3].

While the skit occurred within the Parliament complex in New Delhi, the FIR was lodged in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh [4]. Other reports suggest additional police complaints were filed in New Delhi and Jehangirpuri [5].

The FIR names Rahul Gandhi and two other opposition MPs [6] as the primary subjects of the investigation. The legal proceedings follow allegations that the politicians used the skit to target the government's integrity regarding the temple's funding.

Legal representatives for the politicians have not issued a formal statement regarding the specific charges in Varanasi, though the Congress party has reacted to the booking of its leaders.

“An FIR was registered against three politicians for staging a skit on alleged Ram Mandir donation theft.”

This legal action reflects the ongoing friction between opposition lawmakers and the state over the use of religious symbols in political critique. By filing the FIR in Varanasi—a city of immense religious significance—authorities are linking the political act of a Parliament skit to the local emotional and spiritual sentiments of the region, potentially increasing the legal and political pressure on the accused.