The Congress Seva Dal has filed a cyber complaint against retired Indian Air Force (IAF) Flight Lieutenant Anoop Verma over a social media post comparing Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi with Ajmal Kasab, the convicted terrorist involved in the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
Verma shared a collage on X on Tuesday showing Rahul Gandhi on the left and Kasab on the right. Both were shown carrying bags. Alongside the image, Verma wrote, “With all conviction, I can tell you guys the person on the left is far more dangerous for Bharat.”
The post triggered a political controversy over the comparison between Gandhi, a sitting Leader of the Opposition, and Kasab, who was convicted for his role in the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
Congress Seva Dal Files Complaint
The legal cell of the Congress Seva Dal said it had filed a cyber complaint against Verma and would pursue the matter through legal channels.
The organisation said it “will not tolerate any malicious or unlawful acts targeting the Congress Party and its leaders or members.”
“We are committed to challenging every unlawful act that seeks to malign constitutional offices, defame Congress leaders, or equate democratic dissent with terrorism, as alleged in the present case,” it said.
The Congress Seva Dal also referred to Article 19 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and expression while allowing for lawful restrictions.
“We will pursue appropriate legal remedies under the Constitution, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and applicable cyber laws. No one is above the law, and accountability must be ensured through due process,” the organisation said.
Retired IAF Officer Criticises Post
The post also drew criticism from retired IAF officer Sergeant Karmveer Singh.
“You are comparing the Leader of Opposition (LoP) with a CONVICTED TERRORIST,” Singh wrote on X.
He said political disagreements were part of democracy but argued that criticism should be accompanied by respect and decorum.
“You can criticise the LoP without making such comparisons. Disagreement is democratic. Respect and decency should remain non-negotiable,” Singh said.
Singh also criticised Verma’s use of his former military service in the context of the post, writing that serving in the armed forces did not give anyone a licence to behave like a political troll.
There has been no statement from Verma in the material available regarding the cyber complaint.
Who Was Ajmal Kasab?
Ajmal Kasab was the only attacker captured alive during the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. Ten terrorists carried out coordinated attacks across Mumbai between November 26 and 29, 2008, killing 166 people and injuring 238.
Kasab was convicted by a special court in Mumbai and sentenced to death. The Bombay High Court upheld the sentence, and the Supreme Court confirmed the death penalty in August 2012.
Kasab was executed at Yerwada Central Prison in Pune on November 21, 2012.
