New Delhi, Aug 4 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday launched a scathing attack on Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi after the Supreme Court rebuked the Congress MP over his remarks on the Indian Army, with the party asserting that the apex court’s observations raise “serious concerns” over Gandhi’s sense of “Indianness” and national responsibility.

During a press conference at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, party spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia accused Gandhi of repeatedly undermining the Constitution and demoralising the Indian Armed Forces.

“The Constitution that Rahul Gandhi takes along with him everywhere — if anyone is challenging it, it is Rahul Gandhi,” Bhatia said, adding, “It would not be wrong to say that if someone is destroying the confidence of our brave armed forces, it is Rahul Gandhi.”

The sharp criticism came after a Supreme Court Bench comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and Joymalya Bagchi pulled up the Congress leader over his claim that over 2,000 square kilometres of Indian territory had been occupied by China.

“If you were a true Indian, you would not say all this,” the bench remarked, although it also stayed defamation proceedings against Gandhi related to the comment.

Gandhi had made the claim during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, stating that “Chinese troops are thrashing Indian Army soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh,” referring to the December 9, 2022, face-off in Tawang.

Bhatia said the comments were “factually baseless”.

“We all know that our forces, displaying unprecedented valour, fought the Chinese troops in Galwan. However, Rahul Gandhi had claimed that China has occupied 2,000 square kilometres of Indian territory. He also said that the Indian Army is being thrashed by Chinese troops,” he stated.

Echoing the Supreme Court’s concerns, Bhatia said, “Even the apex court has questioned how Rahul Gandhi knows that 2,000 sq km of Indian territory has been occupied by China. Was he there? Does he have any credible material to support this?”

“The apex court is making this serious comment on Rahul Gandhi’s Indianness, which concerns every citizen of the country,” he said.

Bhatia slammed Gandhi’s decision to air such sensitive remarks on social media instead of raising them in Parliament — which the apex court has also mentioned.

“You were earlier an MP and now the Leader of Opposition. Why don’t you raise these questions in Parliament instead of peddling falsehoods on social media?” he asked.

The BJP spokesperson further recalled previous incidents where Gandhi was allegedly rebuked by the judiciary. He cited the Supreme Court’s criticism of Gandhi’s remarks during the Rafale deal controversy, when the Congress leader attributed statements to the apex court that were never made.

“Back then, too, the court had called his statements unfortunate and demanded an unconditional apology,” Bhatia noted.

Bhatia also brought up a past defamation case involving freedom fighter Veer Savarkar, in which the court had reminded Gandhi of a letter written by his grandmother, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, praising Savarkar and had cautioned him to refrain from making “irresponsible comments” against the freedom fighters.

Calling Gandhi’s repeated remarks part of a “distorted anti-India mentality”, Bhatia said such rhetoric raises questions about his credibility and maturity to hold a constitutional position like the Leader of Opposition.

–IANS

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