New Delhi, Aug 5 (NationPress) Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expressed on Tuesday that the Supreme Court lacks the jurisdiction to define who qualifies as a "true Indian". She defended Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, emphasizing that he has consistently shown admiration for the Indian Armed Forces.

This statement was made a day after the apex court admonished Rahul Gandhi regarding his comments about the Indian Army and his assertion that more than 2,000 sq km of Indian territory has been encroached upon by China.

In response to the Supreme Court's observations, Priyanka stated, "With all due respect to the judiciary, it is not their role to dictate who is a true Indian and who isn't. Justice will not make that call. Furthermore, Rahul Gandhi has always honored the Army and our soldiers. His respect for the Army is evident in every statement and speech."

The Wayanad MP further remarked that the role of the LoP is to hold the government accountable, which is precisely what Rahul Gandhi has been doing.

"The government is uncomfortable with this, and they avoid answering him; hence, they resort to these tactics," she added.

When questioned about the Opposition's decision to use slogans to disrupt Parliament proceedings, Priyanka replied, "Parliament sessions have been ongoing for several days. How challenging can it be to manage Parliament? The government should reassure the public that it is open to discussing the SIR issue, which affects the entire nation."

"They have held discussions on Operation Sindoor, so why not on SIR? Why can't they address a topic that the entire opposition demands? Have they become so weak that they cannot even manage Parliament effectively?" she questioned.

On Monday, a panel of Justices Dipankar Datta and Joymalya Bagchi criticized Rahul Gandhi for his assertion that over 2,000 sq km of Indian territory had been seized by China.

During the court session, the panel interrogated senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Gandhi: "How can you claim that 2,000 square kilometers of Indian land were taken by the Chinese? Were you there? Do you possess any credible evidence?"

"If you were a true Indian, you wouldn’t make such statements," the court remarked.

It further queried, "Why not address this in Parliament? Why resort to social media?"

Nonetheless, it paused the ongoing defamation proceedings against Gandhi related to the statement.

Gandhi had made the controversial assertion during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, where he reportedly stated, "Chinese troops are attacking Indian Army soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh," referring to the December 9, 2022, conflict in the Tawang sector.