New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party has decided to file a contempt of court petition against Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra because of her comments on the Supreme Court’s remarks about her brother Rahul Gandhi’s alleged statements regarding the Indian Army.
This decision came after senior BJP leader Amit Malviya criticized her, saying that the "smug entitlement of the family is not just baffling; it shows disrespect for the judiciary."
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Manan Kumar Mishra accused Priyanka Gandhi of making statements that amount to contempt of court. Mishra, who is also the Chairman of the Bar Council of India, stated that a formal contempt plea would soon be submitted by a group of lawyers, challenging what he termed her "irresponsible comments" about the judiciary.
He said, "She has committed contempt of court by making so many statements before the media. Therefore, we are going to file a contempt petition against her because she has made such irresponsible statements without understanding what the Court meant. The petition will be filed by the Bar and the lawyers. The public of this country will not tolerate such irresponsible statements."
Mishra’s comments followed a statement from Priyanka Gandhi, who defended her brother and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi after the Supreme Court's observations on his comments about the Indian Army in relation to the India-China border issue.
The controversy began when the Supreme Court, during a hearing on Rahul Gandhi’s alleged remarks about the Indian Army and national security, raised concerns about his sense of responsibility as a public leader. One judge reportedly commented that a "true Indian" would not speak the way Gandhi did, referencing his earlier statements during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in 2022.
After the Supreme Court's remarks, Priyanka Gandhi said on Tuesday that the issue was being misinterpreted and emphasized that Rahul Gandhi holds the Indian Army in the highest regard.
"They do not decide who a true Indian is. It is the job of the Leader of the Opposition to ask questions and challenge the government. My brother would never say anything against the Army. He respects the Army deeply. So, this is a misinterpretation," she stated.
In a post on X, Mr. Malviya said the court should take suo motu action on Ms. Vadra's comments, similar to what it did in the case of Nishikant Dubey, referring to the court's reprimand of the BJP MP over his remarks against it and the Chief Justice of India.
"The law must apply equally to all. The Gandhis cannot assume they are above it," Mr. Malviya noted.
The original case before the Supreme Court concerns Rahul Gandhi’s comments from December 2022 during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, where he accused the government of ignoring Chinese incursions in Arunachal Pradesh and questioned the Army's readiness. The top court halted trial court proceedings against Gandhi but used the hearing to strongly criticize the tone and content of his statements.
As the BJP turns the court's observations into a political issue, and the Congress defends its leaders with equal vigor, the matter is likely to gain more attention in the coming weeks. All eyes are now on the Supreme Court, as legal and political narratives continue to clash ahead of the next parliamentary session.
