Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Monday strongly criticized Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, for his recent remarks about “fighting the Indian state,” alleging that Gandhi was speaking the language of those who seek to undermine the country’s sovereignty.
Meghwal pointed out that despite occupying a responsible position, Rahul Gandhi’s statement challenged the integrity of the Indian state. “Rahul Gandhi holds a responsible position as the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha. If he criticizes the Prime Minister or the BJP, that’s understandable, but how can he criticize the country? The statement he made about fighting the Indian state is the language of those who want to break the country,” the Union Minister said.
He further remarked that Congress spokespersons who defended Gandhi’s comment misinterpreted the Constitution. “When the BJP objected to this statement, Congress spokespersons came to his defense, citing Article 12 of the Constitution, which defines the Indian state as its institutions. But they forgot that this is a chapter on fundamental rights. By making such statements, you are challenging the sovereignty of the country while holding a responsible position. Rahul Gandhi’s remarks have been criticized and condemned across the country,” Meghwal added.
The controversy stems from a speech by Rahul Gandhi on January 15, 2025, during the inauguration of Congress’s new headquarters, Indira Bhawan, in New Delhi. In his address, Gandhi said, “Our ideology, like the RSS ideology, is thousands of years old, and it has been fighting the RSS ideology for thousands of years. Do not think that we are fighting a fair fight. There is no fairness in this. If you believe that we are fighting a political organization like the BJP or RSS, you haven’t understood what’s going on. The BJP and RSS have captured every single institution of our country. We are now fighting the BJP, the RSS, and the Indian state itself.”
Gandhi also criticized the media, stating, “We do not know whether our institutions are working or are nonfunctional. It’s pretty clear what the media is up to. People know that the media is no longer free and fair.”
Meghwal’s condemnation of Gandhi’s statement highlights the ongoing tension between the opposition and the ruling BJP over issues of governance, political discourse, and the perceived influence of certain institutions. The controversy has sparked debates about the role of political leaders and their responsibility to uphold national unity and sovereignty.
