The Gandhi family cannot not be allowed to believe that they are above the judiciary, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Malviya said on Wednesday, as he launched an attack on Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra over her criticism of the Supreme Court’s observation against her brother Rahul Gandhi for his alleged remarks on the Indian Army.
“If the Courts won’t decide who is national and who is anti-national, then who will? The smug entitlement of the Gandhi family is not just baffling – it reeks of contempt for the judiciary,” Mr Malviya said in a post on X.
“This brazen defiance is a direct challenge to the authority of the Supreme Court and cannot go unchecked,” he added.
If the Courts won’t decide who is national and who is anti-national, then who will?
The smug entitlement of the Gandhi family is not just baffling — it reeks of contempt for the judiciary. This brazen defiance is a direct challenge to the authority of the Supreme Court and… pic.twitter.com/Tno2y5eKR4
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) August 6, 2025
The remarks by the BJP national information and technology department’s in-charge came a day after Ms Priyanka rallied behind Mr Rahul over the top court’s reprimand. The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the proceedings against Mr Rahul before a Lucknow court over his remarks on the army during his December 2022 Bharat Jodo Yatra but censured the Congress leader, saying if he is a “true Indian”, he would not say such a thing.
“With due respect to the honourable judges of the Supreme Court, they do not decide who is a true Indian. It is the job of the opposition leader. It is his duty to ask questions and to challenge the government,” the Wayanad MP told reporters on Tuesday.
Mr Malviya said the court must take suo motu cognisance of Ms Priyanka’s remarks, just as it did in the case of Nishikant Dubey”, – referring to the top court’s censure of the BJP MP over his remarks against it and the Chief Justice of India.
“The law must apply equally to all. The Gandhis cannot be allowed to believe they are above it,” Mr Malviya said.
On Monday, the top court censured Mr Gandhi over his alleged derogatory remarks about the Indian Army during his Bharat Jodo Yatra. “You are the Leader of Opposition. Why don’t you say things in Parliament, why do you have to say it on social media?”
The bench further asked, “Why do you make these statements without having any material? If you are a true Indian, you won’t say such a thing.”
Earlier, members of the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc termed “unwarranted” the top court’s observations against Mr Rahul, saying it was the responsibility of political parties to comment on issues of national interest.
“All the leaders of the India parties agreed that the sitting judge has made an extraordinary observation which is unwarranted on the democratic rights of political parties,” the Congress said in a statement. “It is the responsibility of political parties, especially the Leader of Opposition to comment on issues of national interest,” it added.
The BJP took a swipe at Mr Rahul, saying the “China guru” and his party hate the Indian armed forces and that he is being remotely controlled by foreign forces. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday said he hoped that the Congress leader would mend his ways after being “rebuked” by the Supreme Court for making “unsubstantiated claims”.
