Supreme Court’s Criticism of Rahul Gandhi Leads to Rijiju’s Call for Responsible Statements
NEW DELHI, India – August 4, 2025: Kiren Rijiju, the Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, has strongly criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, urging him to stop making irresponsible comments. This came after the Supreme Court questioned Gandhi’s statements about Chinese intrusions into Indian territory. The Supreme Court temporarily stopped the defamation proceedings against Gandhi but asked some direct questions, wondering how he could be so sure that China had taken over 2,000 square kilometers of Indian land. They also mentioned that a true Indian wouldn’t make such claims. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has jumped on this questioning by the court, with Rijiju and other party members demanding that the Leader of the Opposition be more responsible when discussing national security issues.
Supreme Court’s Serious Questions
The Supreme Court’s comments occurred during a hearing on Monday regarding a criminal defamation case against Rahul Gandhi. The case is based on remarks Gandhi made in December 2022 during his Bharat Jodo Yatra, where he claimed that Chinese soldiers had beaten up Indian soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh and controlled 2,000 sq km of land.
Justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih, a two-judge panel, questioned where Gandhi got his information. Justice Datta asked, How did you find out that the Chinese had taken over 2,000 km? Were you physically present? Do you have any reliable evidence? The court also noted that Gandhi, as the Leader of the Opposition, should be bringing up these concerns in Parliament instead of on social media and at public gatherings.
Rijiju Leads the Criticism
Kiren Rijiju, a Member of Parliament from Arunachal West and a key voice on national security, quickly reacted to the Supreme Court’s comments, launching a strong criticism. Rijiju stated on X (previously Twitter) that the Supreme Court had given Gandhi a tough message and lesson.
He then held a press conference where he encouraged Gandhi to think about his words. Rijiju claimed that the Congress leader was making baseless statements and hurting the morale of the armed forces. He stressed that national security matters shouldn’t be discussed in a way that could help nations opposed to our country.
BJP’s Wider Criticism
Other top BJP leaders shared Rijiju’s views. Gaurav Bhatia, the BJP’s national spokesperson, questioned Gandhi’s patriotism and suggested that his statements might be helping enemy nations. He noted that Gandhi had sworn to protect the country’s sovereignty, but his comments seemed to be doing the opposite.
The BJP has often accused Gandhi of being anti-India and siding with the country’s enemies. The party has consistently challenged Gandhi’s claims, insisting that the armed forces, the government, and the Ministry of Defence have all stated that China has not occupied any Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh. The BJP alleged that these claims may undermine national security and create unnecessary panic.
Congress’s Response
The Congress party has responded by accusing the Modi government of trying to hide its shortcomings. Jairam Ramesh, a senior Congress leader and general secretary, posted a strong response on X, creating the acronym DDLJ to describe the government’s approach: Deny, Distract, Lie, and Justify.
Ramesh argued that the government hasn’t provided clear answers about the border situation since June 2020, when 20 Indian soldiers died in the Galwan Valley clash. The Congress claims that it is asking legitimate questions that a patriotic citizen should ask to hold the government responsible. Congress insists on clarifying the actual situation along the borders and demands transparency from the government.
Background of Political Conflict
This verbal exchange is the most recent in a string of heated political clashes between the BJP and the Congress regarding national security and foreign policy. Gandhi’s comments on the border situation and the Indian economy, which he repeated after President Donald Trump called it dead, have consistently been met with strong criticism from the ruling party. These confrontations reveal long-standing differences in how the two parties view critical national issues.
The Supreme Court’s temporary halt to the defamation case offers some relief for Gandhi, but the court’s strong words have given the BJP a fresh opportunity to attack the opposition leader. It highlights the significant political divide in India and the intensity of the debate surrounding national security and patriotism. The ongoing dispute shows how deeply polarized the political climate has become, with each side using every chance to criticize the other.
