Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 24 (ANI): The Lucknow Bench of the Uttar Pradesh High Court is set to hear a petition filed by a social activist on Monday, who has alleged that Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi is ineligible to contest Indian elections as he is a British citizen, and calling for the cancelation of his election win.

The court had asked for a reply from the Central government over the claims. The Deputy Solicitor General, appearing for the Union government had asked for an additional 8 weeks time before.

A similar petition on Rahul Gandhi's alleged British citizenship was filed in the Delhi High Court by Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy, who said that he had written to the Home Ministry in 2019 about the issue.

Earlier on March 21, regarding Gandhi's statement of 'fight against the Indian state,' the District Court of Sambhal issued a notice to the Congress leader, telling him to either respond or appear on April 4 in connection with a complaint filed against him over his statement.

Speaking to ANI, Advocate Sachin Goyal on Thursday said the court accepted the complaint.

'Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had made a statement on 15 January 2025 that 'We are now fighting the BJP, the RSS and the Indian State itself'. Simran Gupta had filed a case in the special MP/MLA court to register an FIR against Rahul Gandhi. The CJM had quashed it on the grounds of jurisdiction,' Advocate Goyal said.

The comments by Gandhi were made while inaugurating the party's new headquarters, 'Indira Bhawan', on January 15. He had alleged that the Congress and other opposition parties were not just fighting the BJP but the Indian state itself.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi on Sunday paid tribute to iconic freedom fighters, Baghat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru, remembering their contributions to India's struggle for Independence.

Rahul Gandhi emphasised the significance of their sacrifices and wrote, 'Their fearless struggle and supreme sacrifice against injustice and oppression is an example for every Indian.'

Highlighting the broader impact of Bhagat Singh's revolutionary spirit, Gandhi noted that Bhagat Singh's fight was not only against the British colonial rule, but also against casteism and social discrimination. (ANI)