VARANASI, May 8 -- A first information report (FIR) has been registered against Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai at Chetganj police station in Varanasi over his recent statement that lemon and chilli should be removed from Rafale fighter jets while showing a toy plane with lemon-chilli hanging on it, police said on Thursday.

A senior police officer said one Pradeep Kumar Gupta, a resident of Cantonment who is also said to be a member of Rashtriya Hindu Shakti Vahini, filed a complaint against Rai on Wednesday night.

Gupta alleged that Rai ridiculed the Rafale fighter jet and that it was an attempt to demoralise the Indian Armed Forces. Rai's statements promoted public mischief and were prejudicial to national integration, Gupta...