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:
📍 Arun Jaitley ji passed away on 24 August 2019.
📍 The draft Farm Bills were brought to the Union Cabinet on 3 June… https://t.co/aCGmcnf4mc
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Hospital wall collapse: CM orders suspension of executive engineer; kin of victims get solatium
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday ordered the immediate suspension of an executive engineer for the Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital wall collapse that claimed the lives of seven people, during a high-level review meeting at Vidhana Soudha.
A compensation of Rs 5 lakh, as announced by the CM Siddaramaiah, was distributed to the families of seven victims who lost their lives in the tragedy on Wednesday evening, which occurred due to heavy downpour with gusty winds and hailstorm.
The meeting of municipal commissioners of the five corporations, chaired by the chief minister and attended by Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, focused on fixing accountability and examining lapses that led to the tragedy.
"Why was soil dumped in a way that damaged the wall? Why did you not monitor this?" Siddaramaiah asked, pulling up hospital authorities during the meeting.
A statement from the chief minister's office said that the CM ordered the immediate suspension of the executive engineer of the Karnataka Health Systems Development Project (KHSDP).
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He also questioned the hospital authorities, asking why they failed to monitor the dumping of soil that weakened the structure.
The chief minister directed that a notice be issued to the head of the Hospital.
During the meeting, Siddaramaiah said the rains had caused extensive damage in the city, with over 250 trees uprooted.
The Chief Minister instructed officials to take necessary measures before the onset of the monsoon to avoid untoward incidents.
Commissioners of all five municipal zones in Bengaluru have been asked to take precautionary steps, including trimming dry and dangerous tree branches, the CMO said.
Siddaramaiah also directed them to get the silt cleared from stormwater drains to prevent flooding, and that immediate action be taken to remove debris and fallen branches from roads.
Further, he instructed that barricades be placed at underpasses where water stagnates and restricts public movement.
The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao said in a statement that Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad distributed compensation cheques of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the deceased on Thursday.
Seven people, including a six-year-old girl, were killed and seven others injured when the compound wall collapsed amid heavy rain, strong winds and a hailstorm on Wednesday evening.
Police said the victims, comprising three from Bengaluru, two from Kerala on a study tour and one each from Uttar Pradesh and Assam, had taken shelter near the wall when it suddenly gave way, trapping them under the debris.
The chief minister questioned officials over the dumping of soil near the wall despite knowing it could weaken the structure, and directed that a notice be issued to the head of Bowring Hospital.
Siddaramaiah, who had visited the spot soon after the incident along with senior officials, reviewed the situation and ordered a detailed probe into the collapse.
