📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Ajit Anjum
Politics
UP Congress chief Ajay Rai files defamation suit against CM Yogi over fish video
✍️ The Times of India
🗓 02 Sep 2026, 01:36 AM
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Congress leader Ajay Rai has lodged a defamation complaint against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, alleging that a viral fish‑video claim hurt religious sentiments.
Ajay Rai, who heads the Uttar Pradesh unit of the Indian National Congress, approached the Lucknow civil court on Monday to file a criminal defamation case against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The complaint stems from a video that circulated on social media showing a fish being used in a ritual, which Rai says was presented by the state government as evidence of a broader religious controversy.
Rai contended that the video was misrepresented and that the CM's statements about it were intended to inflame communal sentiments, thereby hurting the faith of the Hindu community. He argued that such allegations, if left unchecked, could damage the secular fabric of the state and sought punitive action against the CM for the alleged defamation.
The filing comes amid heightened political tension in Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP-led government has frequently clashed with opposition parties over issues of religion and governance. Legal experts note that criminal defamation under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code carries a maximum sentence of two years imprisonment, but the case will first have to clear a preliminary hearing to determine its merit.
Yogi Adityanath’s office has not yet responded to the allegations, and the CM’s spokesperson declined to comment on the pending litigation. The court is expected to schedule a hearing in the coming weeks, where both parties will present their arguments.
Rai contended that the video was misrepresented and that the CM's statements about it were intended to inflame communal sentiments, thereby hurting the faith of the Hindu community. He argued that such allegations, if left unchecked, could damage the secular fabric of the state and sought punitive action against the CM for the alleged defamation.
The filing comes amid heightened political tension in Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP-led government has frequently clashed with opposition parties over issues of religion and governance. Legal experts note that criminal defamation under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code carries a maximum sentence of two years imprisonment, but the case will first have to clear a preliminary hearing to determine its merit.
Yogi Adityanath’s office has not yet responded to the allegations, and the CM’s spokesperson declined to comment on the pending litigation. The court is expected to schedule a hearing in the coming weeks, where both parties will present their arguments.