Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece Saamana slams Supreme Court for ‘true Indian’ remark against Rahul Gandhi
Editorial defends Rahul Gandhi, questions judicial overreach on China remarks
Mumbai: In a strongly worded editorial published on Wednesday in its mouthpiece Saamana, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) came out in open support of Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, while sharply criticising the Supreme Court for its recent observation questioning Gandhi’s patriotism. The party termed the remarks as "wrong in every manner" and accused the judiciary of overstepping its mandate.
The controversy stems from oral observations made by a division bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Justice Dipankar Dutta and Justice A.G. Masih, during the hearing of a petition against Rahul Gandhi. The bench had questioned Gandhi’s statements during the Bharat Jodo Yatra about Chinese occupation of Indian territory, asking, “How did you know that China swallowed 2,000 square kilometres of India? Were you present there?” Justice Dutta reportedly added, “No true Indian would say such things, and if you are a true Indian, do not make such statements.”
Reacting to this, the Saamana editorial said, “What has the Supreme Court achieved by making such an observation? Was Rahul Gandhi’s patriotism the issue before the court?” It added that the judiciary has no business defining who is or isn’t a ‘true Indian’ and should refrain from giving unsolicited moral verdicts.
The Thackeray faction further asserted that since 2014, the definition of nationalism has been distorted by the BJP-led government, where praise for the regime is equated with patriotism, and dissent is branded as anti-national. “The ruling government has taken it upon itself to distribute certificates of patriotism and label those who question it as anti-nationals,” it said.
The editorial pointed out that Rahul Gandhi, as the Leader of Opposition, has every right to raise issues of national security, including Chinese intrusion, and questioned why similar statements made by BJP leaders such as Dr. Subramanian Swamy and Arunachal Pradesh MP Tapir Gao were not treated with equal scrutiny.
“Dr Swamy has publicly alleged that China grabbed 4,067 square kilometres of land in Ladakh. He even filed RTI queries and moved court, yet his patriotism was never questioned,” the editorial noted. It also cited Tapir Gao’s 2019 statement in Parliament about Chinese incursions in Arunachal Pradesh, wondering why Gandhi's remarks are seen as problematic while others escape criticism.
Addressing the Supreme Court’s suggestion that Gandhi should speak in Parliament rather than on social media, the editorial said, “Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly stated that he is not allowed to speak in Parliament. Opposition attempts to discuss the issue have been blocked under the pretext of national security.”
In a rhetorical flourish, the editorial concluded: “If the Supreme Court believes that questioning the government makes someone unpatriotic, will it now constitute a fact-finding committee to determine who is a true Indian?”
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Gujarat voted for development & good governance, says Pradhan as BJP sweeps local body polls
New Delhi (PTI): Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday said the people of Gujarat have reaffirmed their faith in the politics of development, stability and good governance as the BJP swept the local body elections by winning all 15 municipal corporations and 33 out of 34 district panchayats in the state.
Thanking the voters, Pradhan said the result is a testament to the people's unwavering trust in the BJP, the relentless hard work of the party workers and the strength of the organisation under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.
“The people of Gujarat have once again made it clear that their trust remains firmly aligned with the politics of development, stability and good governance. I express my heartfelt gratitude to the people of Gujarat for the support received by the BJP in the local body elections,” Pradhan posted on X.
“Under the guidance of the Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the leadership of Gujarat's Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, this result is a remarkable testament to the people's unwavering trust, the relentless hard work of the Gujarat BJP workers, and the strength of the organisation,” he added.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the people of Gujarat for what he termed a "sweeping mandate" in the local body polls, saying the bond between the state and the BJP has grown even stronger.
Modi said people have voted for the politics of good governance, and assured that the party would work harder to take Gujarat to new heights of progress.
Though final results for 250 taluka panchayats and 84 municipalities were awaited, data from the State Election Commission (SEC) showed that the ruling BJP won most of these local bodies while some were bagged by the Congress, AAP and Independents.
Polling was held on Sunday for 15 municipal corporations, 84 municipalities, 34 district panchayats and 260 taluka panchayats.
The BJP emerged a clear winner in the municipal corporations of Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar and Rajkot, besides the newly created municipal corporations of Navsari, Gandhidham, Morbi, Vapi, Anand, Nadiad, Mehsana, Porbandar and Surendranagar.
