'They do not decide who a true Indian is': Priyanka Gandhi defends brother Rahul after SC rebuke

After the Supreme Court pulled up Congress MP Rahul Gandhi over his alleged remarks on the Indian Army, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said on Tuesday that it is a "misinterpretation" as her brother holds the Army in the highest respect.

"...They do not decide who a true Indian is. It is the job of the Opposition Leader, it is his duty to ask questions to challenge the Government. My brother would never say anything against the Army. He holds the Army in the highest respect. So, it is a misinterpretation," Priyanka told ANI.

Earlier on Monday, the Supreme Court pulled up Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his alleged remarks on the Indian Army after a clash between the Indian and Chinese armies in the Yangsi region of Arunachal Pradesh in 2022.


A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih expressed disapproval of Gandhi's remarks, saying How does he know the Chinese occupied 2000 square kilometres of land and said that a true Indian wouldn't say such a thing.

Justice Datta said, "How do you get to know that 2000 square kilometres of Indian territory was occupied by China? What is the credible material? If you are a true indian, you would not say this. When there is a conflict across borders... can you say all this?"

The Congress leader had made the remarks on December 16, 2022, during his 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'.

Gandhi had said, "People will ask about Bharat Jodo Yatra, here and there, Ashok Gahlot and Sachin Pilot and whatnot. 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 a question to them about this. Isn't it true? The nation is watching all this. Don't pretend that people don't know," he added.