The Bharatiya Janata Party launched a scathing attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, describing him as a "certified anti-national" after the Supreme Court reprimanded him over his remarks about the Indian Army.
The BJP alleged that Gandhi has vowed to "weaken India and strengthen China", claiming that the "China Guru" and his party "hate" the Indian armed forces. They demanded an apology from him and the Congress for his remarks.
The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the proceedings against the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha before a Lucknow court for his remarks about the Army during his December 2022 Bharat Jodo Yatra. However, the top court bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih slammed Gandhi, saying that he would not say such a thing if he were a true Indian.
Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan said in a post on X that for the first time in India's parliamentary history, a Supreme Court had to make a "stern remark" against a Leader of the Opposition.
"Rahul Gandhi and the Congress have a history of insulting the army, whether it is the surgical strike or Operation Sindoor. They have questioned the sacrifices of our brave soldiers at every opportunity," Pradhan said in a post on X.
{{/usCountry}}"Rahul Gandhi and the Congress have a history of insulting the army, whether it is the surgical strike or Operation Sindoor. They have questioned the sacrifices of our brave soldiers at every opportunity," Pradhan said in a post on X.
{{/usCountry}}He said that the Congress' loyalty is not to the nation but only to one family, which is why respect for the nation is not even a part of their "fundamental thinking".
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"Today, the entire country is hurt by this anti-national mentality and expects an apology from Rahul Gandhi and the Congress," Pradhan added.
BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia also cited the apex court's observations and alleged that Rahul Gandhi keeps making "immature, irresponsible and anti-India comments" even though various courts have rapped the Congress leader for such remarks in the past.
"Today when the Supreme Court’s comment has come, it won’t be wrong to say that Rahul Gandhi has certainly vowed to weaken India and strengthen China," Bhatia said during a press conference.
Rahul has 'Pakistan, China in his veins
BJP IT head department Amit Malviya took to X to slam 'China Guru' Rahul Gandhi. He said, "The Supreme Court has once again reprimanded 'China Guru' Rahul Gandhi for making irresponsible statements concerning India's national security and territorial integrity."
"Imagine, a leader of the opposition being repeatedly rebuked for speaking such recklessly," he added.
"Rahul Gandhi is now a certified anti-national," Malviya charged in another post.
During the press conference at the BJP headquarters in Delhi, Bhatia also showed a purported picture of Rahul Gandhi signing some document in the presence of Sonia Gandhi and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The BJP spokesperson claimed that the LoP signed a party-to-party memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Communist Party of China.
"That’s why Rahul Gandhi was saying that our soldiers were thrashed by Chinese soldiers, be it (in) Doklam or Galwan, while every Indian was standing by India and brave soldiers of India," he said.
Bhatia added that they never tell the people of India what was in that MoU with the Communist Party of China.
"It seems Rahul Gandhi has love for China and Pakistan in his veins, but no love for India," Bhatia added.
The BJP spokesperson termed the Supreme Court's observations as "very serious" and said that with this, Gandhi's credibility has gone down to "zero".
"Does India deserve a more responsible and a better Leader of Opposition (LoP)? As the LoP who has taken oath under the Constitution to protect the sovereignty of our country, is he destroying the sovereignty of our country? Is he helping nations that are inimical to our country? Is he demoralising the brave Indian armed forces?" he asked.
Additionally, BJP leader Amit Malviya took on the Congress leader for his "dead" economy remark, calling it a "diplomatic disaster on multiple fronts".
"His recent 'dead economy' jibe is just the latest in a long series. In doing so, he implicitly admitted that Russia, a long-standing ally, is struggling, while bizarrely endorsing a hostile state like Pakistan as having a robust economy," he said.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla referred to Gandhi's remarks on the surgical strike and Operation Sindoor, alleging that the Congress leader and his party "hate" Indian armed forces.
In a post on X, he said, "Sena ka Apman Congress ki pehchan (Insulting the Army is the hallmark of the Congress). Rahul and Congress hate Indian Armed Forces. Today SC has slammed him."
BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari also said that the Supreme Court's condemnation of Gandhi exposed him. "Supreme Court asks Rahul Gandhi - 'How did you know that China had occupied land?'" he said.
Bhandari said that this question did not "expose" Gandhi, but further got the attention back on the "secret MoU that Gandhi-Vadra family had with China".
"Rahul is working under the remote control of foreign forces," he charged.