New Delhi, Jan 20 (IANS): The Congress on Monday slammed the BJP over the registration of an FIR against Congress MP and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, in Assam for his "Indian state" remark.

Congress spokesperson Abhay Dubey alleged that the BJP is "afraid" of Rahul Gandhi and is resorting to such measures.

The FIR, registered in BJP-ruled Assam's largest city, Guwahati, pertains to Gandhi's recent remarks and invokes sections 152 and 197(1)d of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which address actions endangering India's sovereignty, unity, and integrity.

The complaint was filed by Monjit Chetia, who accused the Congress leader of exceeding the boundaries of free speech.

Responding to the development, Dubey told IANS, "The BJP is so afraid of Rahul Gandhi that it has filed an FIR against him. However, no BJP-ruled state can diminish Rahul Gandhi's resolve and commitment towards his goals."

Chetia, in his complaint, alleged that Gandhi's remarks posed a "serious threat to public order and national security."

The FIR stems from a statement made by Gandhi during the inauguration of the Congress' new headquarters in Delhi.

Reacting to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat's comment on India's "true independence," Gandhi had said, "Do not think we are fighting a fair fight. If you believe this is merely against a political organisation like the BJP or RSS, understand that they have captured almost every institution in our country. We are now up against the Indian state itself."

The Congress leader's recent visits to various states have also drawn political attention. During his visit to Patna, Gandhi addressed the 'Samvidhan Suraksha Sammelan' and met with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Yadav and his son, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav.

However, speculation about strained ties within the INDIA bloc surfaced as Gandhi reportedly avoided meeting Mamata Banerjee during his visit to West Bengal and skipped meeting Akhilesh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh.

Reacting to the speculations, Dubey dismissed the claims, stating, "The BJP is spreading baseless rumours. Even if Rahul Gandhi pays a personal visit to Lalu Yadav, the BJP finds a problem with it."

"As far as the INDIA bloc is concerned, its leaders meet on one platform whenever a formal meeting is scheduled," Dubey clarified.