Giriraj Singh targets Rahul Gandhi over Article 370 criticism
Synopsis
Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh used sharp Bihar vernacular on Independence Day eve to dismiss Rahul Gandhi's criticism of Article 370 abrogation, defending the Modi-Shah government's 2019 decision as an act of national integration that opposition forces have repeatedly failed to reverse.
Key Takeaways
Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh posted on 14 August 2026 , the eve of Independence Day.
He used the Bihar colloquial term 'thetherai' to mock Rahul Gandhi 's sustained opposition to the abrogation of Article 370 .
Article 370 was revoked by Parliament on 5 August 2019 , splitting Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories.
Singh credited Home Minister Amit Shah 's political strategy for repeatedly defeating opposition attempts to challenge the decision.
The post frames continued criticism of the abrogation as anti-national, a recurring BJP rhetorical position since 2019.
Supreme Court petitions and statehood restoration timelines for Jammu and Kashmir remain active follow-on issues.
A day before Independence Day, Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh reached for some sharp Bihar vernacular to frame a pointed political attack — calling Rahul Gandhi a living embodiment of 'thetherology' (the art of shameless persistence despite repeated defeat).
Posting on 14 August 2026, Singh wrote in Hindi: 'In Bihar, what is called thetherai — Rahul Gandhi is its living example. Despite being outsmarted time and again by the Chanakya-like strategy of Shri Amit Shah, making excuses has become his habit. Those who question the removal of Article 370 do not understand the national interest. Today it is the Modi-Shah duo, which is why anti-national forces are gasping for breath.'
The Article 370 flashpoint, seven years on
The barb lands on the eve of Independence Day — and the timing is deliberate. Article 370, the constitutional provision that granted Jammu and Kashmir special status for over seven decades, was revoked by Parliament on 5 August 2019. A presidential order and accompanying legislation bifurcated the state into two union territories: Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The decision had been a cornerstone of BJP's election manifestos in both 2014 and 2019, and the party has since framed it as a non-negotiable act of national integration. Rahul Gandhi and the Indian National Congress have consistently questioned the manner of the abrogation, arguing it bypassed democratic consultation with the people of the region. That sustained opposition is precisely what Singh is targeting — using the colloquial Bihar term thetherai (roughly: brazen, unembarrassed persistence in the face of failure) to dismiss it as politically irrelevant posturing.The 'Chanakya' framing of Amit Shah
Singh's invocation of Home Minister Amit Shah as a Chanakya figure — the ancient strategist synonymous with ruthless political calculation — is a familiar BJP rhetorical device, but it carries specific weight here. Shah is widely credited within the party for engineering the legislative and constitutional manoeuvres that made the 2019 abrogation possible, navigating significant legal and political opposition to deliver on a decades-old promise. Singh is essentially arguing that every opposition attempt to relitigate that decision has failed — and will keep failing. Supreme Court hearings on petitions related to the abrogation, and the government's announced timelines for restoring full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, remain live threads in this ongoing story. On the eve of the 79th Independence Day, Singh's post is a reminder that Article 370 is not an archived debate for the ruling party — it is an active political identity marker, deployed with fresh urgency whenever the opposition raises it.Point of View
Singh signals that the party intends to keep Article 370 as a live electoral wedge rather than a settled chapter. The 'Chanakya' framing of Amit Shah also subtly reinforces internal party hierarchy ahead of any future political contests. For the Congress, the attack underlines the challenge of sustaining a credible counter-narrative on Kashmir without being painted as soft on national security.
NationPress
14 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Giriraj Singh say about Rahul Gandhi on 14 August 2026?
Singh called Rahul Gandhi a living example of 'thetherai' — a Bihar term for shameless persistence despite failure — accusing him of repeatedly questioning the removal of Article 370 despite being outmanoeuvred by Home Minister Amit Shah.
What is Article 370 and when was it removed?
Article 370 was a constitutional provision granting special status to Jammu and Kashmir. It was revoked by Parliament on 5 August 2019 , and the region was reorganised into two union territories: Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
What does 'thetherology' or 'thetherai' mean?
Thetherai is a colloquial Bihar term for brazen, unembarrassed persistence in the face of repeated defeat or embarrassment — roughly equivalent to being shameless about continuing despite being proven wrong.
Why does the BJP keep raising Article 370?
The BJP had promised full constitutional integration of Jammu and Kashmir in its 2014 and 2019 election manifestos. Since the 2019 abrogation, the party has consistently used the decision as a marker of decisive governance and national security credentials, especially around Independence Day.
What is the current status of Jammu and Kashmir after Article 370 abrogation?
Jammu and Kashmir functions as a union territory administered by the central government, while Ladakh is a separate union territory. The government has announced plans to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, though the timeline remains under discussion, with related Supreme Court petitions still active.
