Rahul Gandhi alleges Arun Jaitley threatened him on farm laws, BJP rubbishes charge as 'fake news'
New Delhi, Aug 2 (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday claimed that former finance minister Arun Jaitley had threatened him to not speak against the farm laws else he would face action, a charge rubbished by the BJP as "fake news" and asked him to stick to facts instead.
Rohan Jaitley, son of the former union minister, also slammed Gandhi over his remarks, asking the Congress leader to "let the departed Rest in Peace".
Addressing Congress' annual legal conclave at the Vigyan Bhawan, Gandhi said, "I remember when I was fighting the farm laws -- he's not here anymore, so I really shouldn't say it, but I will -- Arun Jaitley ji was sent to me to threaten me."
He went on to add: "He said to me, 'If you carry on down this path, opposing the government and fighting us on the farm laws, we will have to take action against you.'
"I looked at him in the face and said, 'I think you don't know or have an idea who you're talking to. Because, we are Congress people, and we're not cowards. We never bend; the superpower British couldn't bend us and who the hell are you'."
The BJP hit back at Gandhi, saying the farm laws were brought in 2020 while Jaitley passed away in 2019 and asked the Congress leader to stick to facts instead of rewriting timelines to "suit narratives".
BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya wrote on X, "Fake News Alert."
"Rahul Gandhi claims that Arun Jaitley approached him to water down his opposition to the 2020 farm laws. Let's set the record straight -- Arun Jaitley ji passed away on August, 24 2019.
"The draft Farm Bills were brought to the Union Cabinet on June 3, 2020. The laws were enacted in September 2020," he said.
Malviya said any discussion, whether in support or opposition of the Bill, began after "these developments".
"To suggest Arun Jaitley ji approached him for anything at all is factually incorrect and misleading," he said, adding, "Let's stick to facts and not rewrite timelines to suit narratives."
The BJP leader also posted a video clip of the remarks Gandhi made at the conclave.
Jaitley's son Rohan also took to X, saying, "Rahul Gandhi now claims my late father, Arun Jaitley, threatened him over the farm laws. Let me remind him, my father passed away in 2019. The farm laws were introduced in 2020."
"More importantly, it was not in my father's nature to threaten anyone over an opposing view. He was a staunch democrat and always believed in building consensus," he wrote.
"If at all such a situation was to occur, as it often does in politics, he would invite free and open discussions to arrive at a mutually acceptable solution to all. That was simply who he was and that remains his legacy today.
"I would appreciate Rahul Gandhi being mindful while speaking of those not with us. He attempted something similar with Manohar Parrikar ji, politicising his final days which was in equally poor taste," he added.
Rahul Gandhi now claims my late father, Arun Jaitley, threatened him over the farm laws.
— Rohan Jaitley (@rohanjaitley) August 2, 2025
Let me remind him, my father passed away in 2019. The farm laws were introduced in 2020. More importantly, it was not in my father's nature to threaten anyone over an opposing view. He was a…
🚨 Fake News Alert 🚨
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) August 2, 2025
Rahul Gandhi claims that Shri Arun Jaitley approached him to water down his opposition to 2020 Farm Laws. Let’s set the record straight:
đź“Ť Arun Jaitley ji passed away on 24 August 2019.
đź“Ť The draft Farm Bills were brought to the Union Cabinet on 3 June… https://t.co/aCGmcnf4mc
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'Rear-guard action': BJP over Mamata accepting sports minister's resignation after Messi event
New Delhi (PTI): The BJP on Tuesday alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's accepting Aroop Biswas' resignation as the state sports minister is nothing but a "rear-guard action" to douse public anger over the mismanagement of football icon Lionel Messi's event last week.
BJP co-in-charge for West Bengal Amit Malviya alleged that this is also an "open confession" that the Messi event fiasco was not accidental but a government-manufactured disaster, borne out of the poor governance of Banerjee, her ministers and the state bureaucracy.
Banerjee on Tuesday accepted Biswas' resignation as the sports minister in the wake of the controversy over the mismanagement of football icon Messi's event last week, a senior leader of the ruling TMC said.
Biswas, who had written to the chief minister seeking to be relieved of his responsibilities as sports minister, will continue as a cabinet minister, retaining charge of the power department.
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Reacting to the development, Malviya said in a post on X, "TMC Sports Minister Aroop Biswas resigns after the Messi fiasco and Mamata Banerjee accepts it in record time."
"Do not mistake this for accountability; this is nothing but a rear-guard action to douse public anger. anger! This is not 'Raj Dharma'," he added.
The BJP leader alleged that the incident was the outcome of "loot" of common people which is "so synonymous" with the TMC.
The incident was also the outcome of the "shameless VIP culture that TMC thrives on and deep-rooted cronyism promoted by Banerjee," he charged.
Malviya further alleged that Biswas' resignation exposes a "collective failure of Mamata Banerjee, her partisan bureaucracy, and her crony cabinet".
"This is a symbolic sacrifice, a political hoax, soon to be buried under layers of bureaucracy, with no justice, no accountability, and no remorse," the BJP leader said, adding, "No resignation will bring back the time lost, the money wasted, or the stolen chance for football lovers to witness Messi in Kolkata."
