BJP leader Vishnu Vardhan Reddy has released a strongly worded open letter urging Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to watch the newly released film Haq, starring Yami Gautam. The movie has been earning widespread appreciation from critics, commentators and viewers for its bold storytelling and impactful performances by Yami Gautam and Emraan Hashmi. Early box-office trends also show encouraging traction, driven largely by strong word of mouth.
Reddy’s letter has triggered a sharp political discussion, questioning the Congress party’s position on women’s rights and accusing Rahul Gandhi of maintaining “double standards” on constitutional issues. He argues that Haq which deals with themes of national integrity, internal challenges and decisive governance exposes the contradictions between Congress’ public messaging and its historical decisions.
In the letter, Reddy asks why the Congress Party has never apologized for the 1986 law passed under the Rajiv Gandhi government that overturned a Supreme Court judgment granting fair maintenance rights to a divorced Muslim woman. He highlights that the legislation was criticized for decades by legal scholars, reformers and women’s groups as discriminatory and regressive.
Reddy questions how Rahul Gandhi can publicly speak of constitutional values while staying silent on what he calls a “historic injustice” committed in 1986. He points out that even after nearly forty years, Muslim women continue to face systemic discrimination in matters of divorce, guardianship, inheritance and maintenance because of personal law complications.
He further notes that Rahul Gandhi has not watched Haq, a film that portrays the human cost of that political decision, and poses several direct questions linked to vote-bank politics, opposition to the Uniform Civil Code and accountability for past actions.
Reddy writes that silence on such issues has real consequences and that genuine political reform requires acknowledging past mistakes. He ends his letter with two clear questions for Rahul Gandhi:
Will he watch Haq, a film that confronts the truth Congress has avoided?
And will he apologize for the 1986 law that denied Muslim women equality under the Constitution?
Reddy concludes by saying the nation will accept either the courage to face the truth or the courage to correct the past but not silence.
The open letter has been published on Reddy’s verified X handle @SVishnuReddy. A formal response from the Congress leadership is still awaited.