INDIA parties back Rahul Gandhi, say it is his responsibility to comment on issues of national interest

INDIA bloc parties on Tuesday termed "unwarranted" the Supreme Court observations against Rahul Gandhi for his alleged remarks on the Army, and asserted it was the responsibility of political parties to comment on issues of national interest.

The remarks came a day after the Supreme Court censured Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, over his alleged derogatory remarks about the Indian Army during his Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Floor leaders of several parties of the INDIA bloc discussed the remarks of the Supreme Court against Gandhi at a meeting here. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Gandhi were present at the meeting.

"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," the statement said.

"When a government fails so spectacularly to defend our borders, it is every citizen's moral duty to hold it accountable," it further said.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also said that Rahul Gandhi holds the Indian security forces in high esteem and as Leader of Opposition he has every right to question the government.

Asked about the top court's observations, she told reporters at the Parliament House complex, "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." "My brother would never say anything against the Army. He holds the Army in the highest respect. So it is a misinterpretation (of his remarks)," she said.

A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih on Monday told Rahul Gandhi, "You are 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."