New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India on Monday issued a sharp rebuke to opposition leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks about the Indian Army, specifically his claim that China had occupied 2,000 square kilometers of Indian territory. The court, however, provided some interim relief by staying the defamation case against him.
A bench comprising Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice A.G. Masih made strong oral observations while hearing Gandhi’s plea to quash a criminal defamation case filed against him. The case stems from remarks he made during a press conference in December 2022, following a clash between Indian and Chinese troops. Gandhi had alleged that China had captured 2,000 sq km of Indian land and that the Chinese army was “thrashing” Indian soldiers.
Justice Datta reportedly questioned the basis of Gandhi’s statements, asking, “How do you get to know that 2,000 sq km land was occupied by Chinese? Were you there? Do you have any credible material?” The judge further remarked, “If you are a true Indian, you wouldn’t say such a thing.” He also advised Gandhi to make such statements in Parliament, rather than on social media, especially given his position as a prominent opposition leader.
The defamation complaint was filed by an advocate who alleged that Gandhi’s comments were false, baseless, and intended to demoralize the Indian Army. The Allahabad High Court had earlier dismissed Gandhi’s plea, which he had challenged in the Supreme Court.
While the Supreme Court expressed strong disapproval of the statements, it issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and the complainant, and granted an interim stay on further proceedings in the defamation case. The court is expected to hear the matter again in a few weeks.
