Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Aug 5: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra strongly defended her brother and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday, asserting that the Supreme Court does not hold the authority to judge patriotism or define who qualifies as a “true Indian.” Her remarks come a day after the apex court rebuked Rahul Gandhi over his contentious comments on Chinese incursions and the Indian Army.

Addressing the media, Priyanka stated, “With all due respect to the judiciary, it is not for them to determine who is a true Indian. Rahul Gandhi has always shown unwavering respect for the Indian Army — that’s evident in every one of his speeches.”

The criticism stems from a recent Supreme Court hearing where a Bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Joymalya Bagchi questioned the factual basis of Rahul Gandhi’s statement that China had occupied over 2,000 sq km of Indian territory, made during his Bharat Jodo Yatra in December 2022.

The Bench asked, “Were you there? Do you have any credible material? If you were a true Indian, you would not say all this.” The court also questioned why Gandhi made such statements on social media rather than raising them in Parliament.

While the court stayed the defamation proceedings against him, its remarks triggered political pushback.

Priyanka accused the government of using institutions to silence questions. “Rahul’s responsibility as LoP is to hold the government accountable. They dislike that and avoid answering — so they target him instead,” she said.

On the ongoing parliamentary disruptions over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, Priyanka questioned the government’s reluctance to allow a debate:

“They discussed Operation Sindoor. So why not SIR? If the government is confident, why is it afraid to face Parliament?”

She also dismissed criticisms of Opposition sloganeering:

“How difficult can it be to run Parliament? The issue concerns the entire country. The government must stop dodging and start engaging.”

The controversy has further deepened the political fault lines between the ruling government and the Opposition as the Monsoon Session continues amid frequent protests and adjournments.