Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday defended her brother Rahul Gandhi following the Supreme Court’s criticism of his remarks regarding alleged Chinese incursions into Indian territory. She asserted that it is not the role of judges to determine who qualifies as a “true Indian”.
The Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and AG Masih, had on Monday told Rahul Gandhi that a “true Indian” would not make statements like his concerning China’s alleged intrusion. The court questioned how Gandhi had verified his claims and suggested that such comments should have been raised in Parliament rather than on social media.
Responding to the court’s observations, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, “With due respect to the honourable judges, they do not decide who a true Indian is. It is the duty of the Opposition leader to question the government.” She further emphasised that Rahul Gandhi holds the Indian Army in the highest regard and would never speak against it. She described the controversy as a “misinterpretation,” apparently referring to a defamation case filed against him over the remarks.
Echoing similar concerns, Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale criticised the Supreme Court’s questioning of Gandhi’s patriotism. “NOTHING in the Constitution gives the SC the power to hand out certificates for being a true Indian,” Gokhale stated, underscoring that all citizens are equal under the law. He added that it is within an MP’s rights to decide whether to make statements inside or outside Parliament, and no court has the authority to dictate where MPs should speak, provided they act within the law.
The Supreme Court’s remarks came during a hearing on Rahul Gandhi’s petition seeking to quash defamation proceedings filed against him. Although the court rebuked Gandhi for his remarks, it granted a stay on the proceedings for three weeks.
The defamation case relates to comments made by Gandhi on December 16, 2022, regarding a clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers along the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang sector. The complaint was filed by Uday Shankar Srivastava, a former director of the Border Roads Organisation, whose lawyer argued that Gandhi’s statements were derogatory and defamatory towards the Indian Army.
Rahul Gandhi had approached the Supreme Court after the Allahabad High Court declined to quash the defamation proceedings in May.