An FIR has been registered against Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai at Chetganj police station for allegedly mocking the Rafale fighter aircraft by tying lemon and chillies to a toy plane.

The complaint was lodged by Pradeep Gupta, President of the Hindu Shakti Vahini. Based on the complaint, police have filed a case against Ajay Rai under Sections 107(1) and 353(2) for disturbing public peace, spreading misinformation, and making inflammatory remarks.

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If found guilty, Rai may face up to two years of imprisonment along with a fine.

The controversy stems from a press conference held by Ajay Rai in Varanasi on May 4, during which he reportedly said:
“When the government bought Rafale, the Defence Minister tied lemon and chilli to it. Has the Rafale come here just to be adorned with lemon and chilli?”

He added, “When will the lemon be removed from Rafale and when will it perform its actual duty? The public wants to know. The family of Shubham, who was martyred in the Pahalgam terror attack, also seeks answers. When will the government deploy it to deliver justice?”

Further criticizing the government, Rai said that the martyrs of the country are asking whether Rafale jets were acquired to respond strongly to terrorists or merely for display.

“We are all waiting. We want terrorists to be dealt with strictly,” he remarked.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongly condemned Rai’s comments. A BJP spokesperson stated, “Ajay Rai has insulted the Indian armed forces by calling Rafale a toy. This statement appears to be made at the behest of Rahul Gandhi. Pakistani media is using it for propaganda purposes. The Congress is playing with national security.”