The Congress on July 7, 2019, filed two police complaints against Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy for alleging that Rahul Gandhi consumes cocaine.

“We have lodged an FIR against Subramanian Swamy at Kotwali Nagar, Barabanki [Uttar Pradesh] over his remark, ‘Congress President Rahul Gandhi consumes cocaine’,” ANI quoted Congress leader P.L. Punia as saying. “We have demanded strict action against Subramanian,” the Congress leader said.

In a letter to the police, the Congress said Swamy’s comments on Friday (July 5, 2019) had harmed Gandhi’s reputation. “Rahul Gandhi is the future of the country and such an allegation against him has hurt Congress workers and the people of the country,” the letter stated.

The second FIR was filed at Patthalgaon police station in Chhattisgarh on Saturday night (July 6, 2019), pursuant to a complaint filed by Jashpur district Congress President Pawan Agarwal, Jashpur Superintendent of Police Shankar Lal Baghel told PTI.

“Swamy himself knows that his statement was false and intentional to insult Rahul Gandhi ji,” Agarwal said in his complaint. “Swamy knows that his statement can encourage enmity between political parties and provoke people. Such a statement can disturb peace among people,” he added.

Chhattisgarh Congress spokesperson Shailesh Nitin Trivedi said Swamy’s statement was unacceptable, The Indian Express reported. “It has disrespected Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party in the state and all over the country,” Trivedi said. “He has no moral and legal right to make such a false statement.”

Following the registration of FIR, Swamy said he was surprised by the Chhattisgarh Police’s decision to register the FIR. “This FIR is stupid because the police did not do a dope test to verify the truth,” he said.

Swamy allegedly made the controversial remark after Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said leaders calling Punjabis “Nashedis [drug addicts]” should undergo dope test first. “The person Harsimrat Kaur is thinking of is Rahul Gandhi,” he allegedly said. “Certainly, Rahul will fail the dope test as he takes cocaine.”