SC pulls up Rahul Gandhi over his claims of China occupying Indian land, BJP welcomes criticism

New Delhi [India], August 4 (ANI): As the Supreme Court pulled up the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, over his alleged remarks on the Indian Army after a clash between the Indian and Chinese armies in Yangsi region of Arunachal Pradesh in 2022, the BJP welcomed top court remark stating that Congress leader must refrain from making such irresponsible comments.

Rahul Gandhi allegedly claimed that China had captured 2,000 square kilometres of Indian territory, which Union Minister Kiren Rijiju dismissed as illogical.

The Union Minister emphasised that the Indian Army, the Defence Minister, and the Prime Minister have consistently stated that there is a boundary dispute, but no Chinese incursion into Indian territory.

Union Parliamentary Minister Kiren Rijiju, who is a Lok Sabha MP from the Arunachal West constituency, said that Rahul Gandhi must stop making irresponsible remarks.

Rahul Gandhi repeatedly publicly claimed that China has captured India territory. Our army, Defence Minister and Prime Minister had already said that there is a boundary dispute, but no one has come inside our country and captured our lands... Claiming that 2000 square km of land is captured is illogical. He is the Leader of the Opposition; he should say every sentence responsibly. Rahul must stop irresponsible remarks, Rijiju told mediapersons.

The Supreme Court criticism of Gandhi remarks came during a hearing on a defamation case related to his comments on the India-China border clash. The court questioned how Gandhi knew about the alleged occupation of 2,000 square kilometres of Indian territory by China and suggested that a true Indian wouldnt make such statements.

After a bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih expressed disapproval of Gandhi remarks, saying how does he know the Chinese occupied 2000 square kilometres of land? and said that a true Indian wouldnt say such a thing.

Justice Datta today said, How do you get to know that 2000 square kilometres of Indian territory was occupied by China? What is the credible material? If you were a true indian, you would not say this. When there is a conflict across borders... can you say all this?

The bench also asked senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Gandhi, why Gandhi didnt say all this in Parliament and why on social media.

Whatever you have to say, why dont you say it in Parliament? Why do you have to say this in the social media posts? asked Justice Datta.

Meanwhile, the apex court also stayed further proceedings before the trial court in the case and issued notice to the complainant, former Border Roads Organisation (BRO) Director Uday Shankar Srivastava.

The Allahabad High Court on May 29 had rejected Gandhi plea, challenging the defamation case as well as the summoning order passed in February 2025 by an MP MLA court in Lucknow.

Srivastava, in his defamation complaint, stated that the alleged derogatory remarks by Gandhi were made on December 16, 2022, during his Bharat Jodo Yatra, saying his objectionable comments pertaining to a clash between the Indian and Chinese Armies had defamed the Indian Army.

Gandhi, on December 16, 2022, during his Bharat Jodo Yatra in the presence of media persons and a large gathering of the public, spoke regarding a face-off that took place between the Indian Army and the Chinese Army at the border of India in Arunachal Pradesh on December 9, 2022.

Gandhi had said, People will ask about Bharat Jodo Yatra, here and there, Ashok Gahlot and Sachin Pilot and whatnot. But they will not ask a single question about China capturing 2000 square kilometres of Indian territory, killing 20 Indian soldiers and thrashing our soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh. But the Indian press doesnt ask them a question about this. Isnt it true? The nation is watching all this. Dont pretend that people dont know.

The complainant had said that the statement given by Gandhi was made as an attempt to demoralise the Indian Army.

Gandhi statement is false and baseless and it was given with an evil intention of demoralising the Indian Army and damaging the faith of the Indian population in the Indian Army, whereas the truth is that in the scuffle that took place in the Yangsi region of Arunachal Pradesh on December 9, 2022, the Indian Army successfully restrained the Chinese Army from entering the territory protected by it and badly chased them away, Srivastava said in his complaint.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed his gratitude to the Supreme Court for pulling up senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks about the Indian Army during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in December 2022.

I express my gratitude to the Supreme Court because people sitting in high positions are spreading rumours and speaking against the interest of the country; this should stop. We have seen the way Rahul Gandhi kept saying, without any evidence, that China has grabbed India land, said CM Fadnavis.

Due to this, the morale of our soldiers is affected because when they are saving the country, such a big leader gives false statements. Rahul Gandhi continuously speaks the same language as Pakistan and China. This is very wrong. This is against the interests of the country. He is the leader of a very big party... Now, when the Supreme Court has remanded him, maybe he will change his attitude from now on, he added.

Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar strongly criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on the Indian Army after a clash between the Indian and Chinese armies in the Yangsi region of Arunachal Pradesh in 2022.

He welcomed the Supreme Court criticism of Rahul Gandhi after a bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih in the Supreme Court expressed disapproval of Gandhi remarks, saying, How does he know the Chinese occupied 2000 square kilometres of land? adding that a true Indian wouldnt say such a thing. (ANI)

Disclaimer: This news article is a direct feed from ANI and has not been edited by the News Nation team. The news agency is solely responsible for its content.