SC Rebukes Rahul Gandhi for Army Comment, Says ‘True Indian Wouldn’t Say That’; Defamation Case Put on Hold

The Supreme Court on Monday criticised opposition leader Rahul Gandhi for his alleged remarks against the Indian Army, saying that a “real Indian would not say such things.” However, the court put a hold on the defamation case filed against him and reminded him to speak carefully in Parliament rather than on social media. The bench questioned Gandhi about the source of his claim, asking, “How do you know that 2,000 square kilometers of Indian land were taken by China? If you are truly Indian, you wouldn't say something like that.

Parliament, Not Social Media: SC

The court further told Gandhi, “You are the Leader of the Opposition. You should make such statements in Parliament, not post them on social media,” according to the news agency. The complaint was based on Gandhi’s comments regarding the India-China conflict in December 2022. It claimed his words hurt the image of the Army and could lower their morale.

Army Under Question

In his controversial remarks, Gandhi had said that the Chinese Army was beating Indian soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh, and accused the media of ignoring the issue. He said, “People will question the Bharat Jodo Yatra... but they won’t ask even one question about China taking over 2,000 sq km of Indian land, killing 20 soldiers, and attacking our soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh... Don’t think people are unaware.”

High Court’s Earlier Order

On May 29, the Allahabad High Court had rejected Gandhi’s plea against the defamation case and the order summoning him to court. He had argued that the complaint was filed with bad intentions.