INDIA bloc leaders defend Rahul Gandhi after Supreme Court pulls him up over his remarks

NEW DELHI: Leaders of the INDIA bloc met on Tuesday morning where they discussed the Supreme Court’s recent remarks pulling up Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, over his alleged comments on the Indian Army following the 2022 clash between Indian and Chinese troops in the Yangtse region of Arunachal Pradesh.

The INDIA bloc leaders said it is the duty of political parties, especially the Leader of Opposition, to raise concerns and ask questions when the government fails to act on matters that affect the country.

They also said that when the government fails to defend the nation’s territory, it is not just a right but also a moral responsibility of every citizen and political leader to speak up and hold the government accountable.

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said that leaders of the INDIA alliance met at Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s office to discuss the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

He said the leaders also discussed a recent remark by a Supreme Court judge regarding Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, finding it surprising and emphasising that it is the duty of political leaders to raise national issues.

Speaking to the reporters, Gaurav Gogoi said, “A meeting of the leaders of the INDI alliance was held at Mallikarjun Kharge’s office. The discussion in the meeting was about SIR. Along with this, the remark made by the Supreme Court judge on Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was also a topic of discussion among our leaders. All political parties believe that it is our duty to raise the issues of the country. Our leaders felt that the statement of the Supreme Court judge against Rahul Gandhi was very surprising…”

Gogoi said that the INDIA alliance floor leaders have decided to issue a joint press statement.

He said the comment appeared to be an attempt to restrict the rights of political parties, and stressed that it is the duty of the Leader of the Opposition to raise questions, especially when the government avoids answering on matters like these.

“We have come to a decision that a joint press statement must be issued today from the floor leaders of the INDIA alliance and we have given it saying that the Supreme Court judge made a remark that can be considered as an effort to limit the rights of political parties… The remarks are extraordinary and unwarranted. The duty of the leader of the opposition is to raise the issues of the country and when the ruling party hesitates from answering on the issues related to the border security, people have the right to question,” Gogoi said.

A day earlier, the Supreme Court pulled up Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his alleged remarks on the Indian Army.

A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih expressed disapproval of Gandhi’s remarks, saying “How does he know the Chinese occupied 2000 square kilometres of land and said that a true Indian wouldn’t say such a thing.”

Justice Datta 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 are a true indian, you would not say this. When there is a conflict across borders… can you say all this?”

The Congress leader had made the remarks on December 16, 2022, during his ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’.

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 2,000 square kilometres of Indian territory, “killing 20 Indian soldiers” and “thrashing our soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh”.

a”But the Indian press doesn’t ask a question to them about this. Isn’t it true? The nation is watching all this. Don’t pretend that people don’t know,” he added. (ANI)