Supreme Court pulls up Rahul Gandhi for remarks on Chinese land occupation, stays defamation trial
“If you are a true Indian, you would not say this,” remarked Justice Dipankar Datta, questioning the credibility of the Leader of Opposition’s claims.
Parmod Kumar
Published on: 4 August 2025, 12:24 pm
THE SUPREME COURT, TODAY, pulled up Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his controversial remarks suggesting that China had occupied 2,000 square kilometres of Indian territory following a 2022 border clash in the Yangtse region of Arunachal Pradesh, with the bench questioning the credibility of such claims. The Court’s remarks appeared to reflect concern that such statements, made without substantiation, could erode public confidence in the armed forces’ role in safeguarding the country’s borders.
A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih stayed the proceedings before a Lucknow trial court in the defamation case filed against Gandhi and issued notice to the complainant, former Border Roads Organisation (‘BRO’) Director Uday Shankar Srivastava.
“How do you get to know that 2,000 square kilometres of Indian territory was occupied by China? What is the credible material?” Justice Datta asked, disapproving of the remarks made by Gandhi during the 2022 Bharat Jodo Yatra, “If you are a true Indian, you would not say this. When there is a conflict across the border, can you say all this?”.
The bench also questioned the medium used by the Congress MP to make the statement. “Whatever you have to say, why don’t you say it in Parliament? Why do you have to say this on social media posts?” Justice Datta asked senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who appeared for Gandhi.
“Whatever you have to say, why don’t you say it in Parliament? Why do you have to say this on social media posts?”, asked Justice Datta.
A “contentious” speech
The remarks in question were made by Gandhi on December 16, 2022, in the wake of a face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in the Yangtse region of Arunachal Pradesh.
Addressing a press conference during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi had stated: “People will ask about Bharat Jodo Yatra, here and there, Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot, and what not. 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. But the Indian press doesn't ask them about this. Isn't it true? The nation is watching all this. Don't pretend that people don't know.”
