Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Aug 5: Leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc on Tuesday strongly criticised recent remarks made by Supreme Court Justice Dipankar Datta against Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, calling them “extraordinary” and “unwarranted”.
The criticism arose during a meeting of floor leaders of INDIA parties, where Justice Datta’s observations—made while hearing a criminal defamation plea against Gandhi—sparked concern over democratic rights and freedom of speech.
The Supreme Court bench, comprising Justice Datta and Justice Augustine George Masih, was hearing a plea to quash a defamation case filed by former BRO Director Uday Shankar Srivastava. The case pertains to remarks made by Rahul Gandhi on December 16, 2022, during his Bharat Jodo Yatra, wherein he allegedly said that China had occupied 2,000 sq km of Indian territory.
During the hearing, Justice Datta questioned the credibility of Gandhi's statement and remarked, “A true Indian will not say this. When there is a conflict across the border, can you say all this?”
Congress MP and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Gandhi, defended the remarks under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. However, the judge warned that the right to free speech does not mean “you can say anything.”
While the court has stayed further proceedings in the trial court and issued a notice to the complainant, the INDIA bloc issued a joint statement condemning the remarks.
“It is the responsibility of political parties, especially the Leader of the Opposition, to comment on issues of national interest. When a government fails so spectacularly to defend our borders, it is every citizen's moral duty to hold it accountable,” the statement read.
The leaders maintained that the judiciary must respect the role of elected representatives in a democracy and asserted that questioning government failures should not be construed as unpatriotic.
Earlier, the Allahabad High Court had also denied relief to Gandhi in the same case. The complainant alleges that the Congress leader’s statements were aimed at demoralising the Indian Army.