The Supreme Court on Monday rapped Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s unwarranted remarks regarding a sensitive issue during his Bharat Jodo Yatra. However, the apex court stayed the proceedings in the criminal defamation case against the Leader of Opposition in this matter. Though Rahul Gandhi was given some reprieve, the bench consisting of Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice AG Masih strongly rebuked his past statements.

During his roadshow in 2022, Rahul Gandhi alleged that a former Indian Army officer had informed him that China annexed 2000 square kilometres of our territory. These claims received severe backlash from the ruling party leaders and also triggered a political storm at that time. A defamation case was subsequently filed on Gandhi by Border Roads Organization Director Uday Shankar Srivastava and the case was presently pending in Lucknow court. Rahul Gandhi immediately filed a petition in Allahabad High Court which refused to quash the proceedings.

The Supreme Court bench expressed strong disapproval of the statements made by Rahul Gandhi. The Court questioned ” How did you know about the annexure of 2000 Kilometres by China, is there any credible information ? If you are a true Indian, you won’t say it,”. The lawyer appearing on behalf of Rahul Gandhi contended that he was just referring to the news published in the press and has the right to do so as the Leader of Opposition.

Justice Datta said there is a proper forum to raise matters and asked why Rahul Gandhi was not raising such issues in the parliament. The bench ultimately agreed to consider the points raised by Rahul Gandhi’s lawyer and issued notices on his Special Leave Petition challenging the Allahabad Court’s judgement.