NEW DELHI, Aug 4– The Supreme Court on Monday came down heavily on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, censuring his alleged derogatory remarks against the Indian Army made during his Bharat Jodo Yatra in December 2022.
A Bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih, while staying criminal proceedings pending before a Lucknow court, pulled up Gandhi for making claims that China had occupied 2,000 sq km of Indian territory.
“If you are a true Indian, you wouldn’t say such a thing,” the court remarked, questioning Gandhi’s source of information and why he did not raise the issue in Parliament instead of on social media.
The court asked, “Were you there? Do you have any credible material?” noting that as Leader of Opposition, Gandhi should exercise greater responsibility.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Gandhi, argued that his client merely echoed media reports and raised concerns about lack of official disclosure on border casualties and incursions.
“It is also possible that a true Indian will say that our 20 soldiers were killed. It’s a matter of concern,” Singhvi said, referring to the Galwan Valley clash.
He insisted the criminal complaint filed by Udai Shanker Srivastava was motivated and mala fide, and that the trial court in Lucknow failed to follow due process, especially under Section 223 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, which mandates a hearing before taking cognisance.
The top court issued notices to the Uttar Pradesh government and the complainant, seeking replies within three weeks, and stayed further proceedings in the lower court.
Earlier, on May 29, the Allahabad High Court had dismissed Gandhi’s plea to quash the summoning order.
