'Judges can't decide who's a true Indian': Priyanka after SC slams Rahul

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday came out strongly in support of her brother Rahul Gandhi, a day after the Supreme Court criticised him over his past remarks on the Indian Army. The top court had questioned his statement made during the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ in December 2022, where he claimed that China had occupied 2,000 square kilometres of Indian land.

Priyanka Gandhi, speaking to journalists at the Parliament complex, said, “With due respect to the honourable judges of the Supreme Court, they do not decide who is a true Indian. It is the job of the Opposition leader to ask questions and challenge the government.”

She said, her brother would never speak against the Army. “He holds the Army in the highest respect. So it is a misinterpretation (of his remarks),” she added.

As the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi’s role is to question the government, she said, adding that this responsibility should not be mistaken for disrespect.

SC pulls up Rahul Gandhi

On Monday, the Supreme Court criticised Gandhi over his public statement claiming that China had taken over 2,000 sq km of Indian land. The Bench said, “If you are a true Indian, you will not say these things,” and advised him to speak in Parliament instead of social media.

During a press conference in December 2022, Rahul Gandhi said, “Before I came to this press conference, I was having lunch with my friend and said I can bet that the media will not ask any question about China. They will ask about yatra, Sachin Pilot, Ashok Gehlot, everything but not China who captured 2,000 square km area of India, who martyred 20 jawans, who is thrashing our jawans in Arunachal. But the Indian press will not ask anything about this on me. Brother, desh dekh rahe hai. Don’t think the country is not seeing.”

Congress hits back with ‘DDLJ’ jibe

Soon after the court’s remarks, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh criticised the Modi government, accusing it of avoiding serious questions about the China border issue. In a post on X, he said the government has followed a ‘DDLJ’ approach — “deny, distract, lie, and justify”.

He noted that since 20 Indian soldiers were killed in the Galwan Valley clash in June 2020, the government has failed to give clear answers to the nation.

In response, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) responded by accusing Rahul Gandhi of trying to “strengthen China”, while the Congress said it is only raising questions that matter to every patriotic Indian.