Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, is scheduled to appear today (July 15, 2025) in the Special MP-MLA court in Lucknow. This appearance is related to an alleged statement he made during his 'Bharat Jodo Yatra,' where he commented on Indian soldiers. The court had issued a summons to Rahul Gandhi as an accused. After the appearance, a bail application will be filed by his lawyer.
Tight security arrangements have been made in Lucknow regarding Rahul Gandhi's court appearance. Along with this, political activity has also intensified. While Congress workers are gathering in his support, the opposition may adopt an offensive stance on this matter.
No Relief from High Court
In this case, Rahul Gandhi had filed a petition in the Lucknow High Court to quash the summons, but the court did not grant him any relief. As a result, he is now required to appear in the Special MP-MLA court today.
This case is based on a complaint filed by retired Brigadier and former Director of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), Uday Shankar Srivastava. The complaint alleges that Rahul Gandhi made objectionable remarks about Indian soldiers during an interaction with the media on December 16, 2022, during the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’.
What was Rahul Gandhi's alleged statement?
According to the complaint, Rahul Gandhi said in his statement, "People will question the Bharat Jodo Yatra, but no one will question the beating our soldiers received from Chinese soldiers." He made this comment in reference to the India-China clash that occurred on December 9, 2022, in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh.
The complainant alleges that this statement not only hurts the morale of the Indian Army but also hurts his personal sentiments.
Summoned by the court on defamation charges
In this entire matter, the Special MP-MLA Court summoned Rahul Gandhi on defamation charges after a hearing on February 11, 2025. The court says that the complaint is prima facie cognizable and requires a hearing.
Rahul Gandhi's lawyer, Pranshu Agarwal, informed that a bail application will be filed after the appearance in court and that the entire process will be followed under the law.
