The BJP has strongly criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, alleging that his comments about the Indian armed forces were not only unfounded but also immature and disrespectful.
According to BJP spokespersons, Gandhi’s statements during his Bharat Jodo Yatra—particularly his claim that “Chinese troops are beating up Indian Army personnel in Arunachal Pradesh”—have hurt the pride and morale of the defence services . They assert these remarks were irresponsible and undermined the institution’s dignity.
The complaint was filed by Uday Shankar Srivastava, a former Director of the Border Roads Organisation with a rank equivalent to an Army colonel. He alleged that Gandhi’s repeated references in December 2022 to Indian soldiers being “thrashing” or “beaten” by Chinese troops were defamatory and demanded that Gandhi be summoned to court.
In response, Rahul Gandhi contested the allegations, maintaining that his remarks were intended to draw attention to what he described as government inertia and lack of media scrutiny over Chinese incursions, including the claim of 2,000 sq km loss and 20 casualties among Indian troops.
A Lucknow court issued summons for Gandhi to appear on March 24, 2025, in connection with the defamation case filed under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code. The complaint asserted his remarks were derogatory and demanded trial. Rahul’s legal team challenged the summons in the Allahabad High Court, arguing lack of locus standi by the complainant and claiming political bias.
On May 29, 2025, the Allahabad High Court dismissed Rahul Gandhi’s petition to quash the summons. The court ruled that under Section 199(1) CrPC, a person does not need to be the direct victim of defamation to qualify as “aggrieved”—the retired BRO director met that criterion through personal hurt and institutional attachment. The court also emphasised that although Article 19(1)(a) guarantees freedom of speech, it does not protect defamatory remarks against respected institutions like the armed forces.
Seeking relief, Rahul Gandhi moved the Supreme Court. On August 4, 2025, the SC issued an interim stay on the defamation proceedings, but delivered a sharp rebuke. The bench questioned why Rahul had used social media rather than raising concerns in Parliament, and asked what credible evidence he had for his claim about China’s alleged occupation of Indian territory. The justices remarked that “a true Indian would not say such things”.
Meanwhile, BJP leaders intensified their criticism following the Court’s remarks. IT Cell Chief Amit Malviya labeled Rahul Gandhi a “certified anti-national” and accused him of fostering dubious foreign sympathies by allegedly signing an MoU with China. Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy similarly accused Congress leaders—including Gandhi—of disrespecting the armed forces and questioned their commitment to national security
