Rahul Gandhi
Gandhi received a Lok Sabha privilege notice on Aug 14 over remarks against Amit Shah, faces an Aug 17 Supreme Court hearing on disproportionate-asset and dual-citizenship allegations, and is demanding Shah's resignation over the July 20 student crackdown.
On August 14, the Lok Sabha Secretariat issued Rahul Gandhi a formal privilege notice over allegedly unparliamentary language against Amit Shah, with a response due August 28. The same day, the Supreme Court quashed a criminal defamation summons against him over a 2022 Savarkar remark, ruling the UP government never granted mandatory sanction, though Justice Dipankar Datta cautioned him against defaming freedom fighters. On August 17, a separate bench will hear Gandhi's petition challenging Allahabad High Court orders directing CBI and ED to verify allegations he holds disproportionate assets and dual citizenship.
Gandhi's parliamentary offensive centers on the July 20 Delhi student crackdown, which left around 150 students hospitalized. He rejected Shah's offer of a 24-hour debate as a "lecture," demanding Shah answer who ordered pellet guns and nailed lathis used on students and resign if it was him. The standoff has repeatedly adjourned the Lok Sabha. Gandhi led an INDIA bloc march with Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra demanding Modi and Shah address Parliament on the crackdown, Ram Temple donation embezzlement, and J&K statehood.
On August 13, Gandhi alleged China blocked Indian army patrols in Arunachal Pradesh, citing 628 Chinese border villages, and accused Modi of suppressing the news. The Army, MEA, and Arunachal CM Pema Khandu rejected the claims. At a Congress convention he mocked Modi's foreign policy as "hugging leaders"; Rajnath Singh called the conduct abominable.
In Jharkhand, Gandhi backed recruitment-scam protesters while framing the issue as a systemic failure rather than attacking coalition partner Hemant Soren, drawing BJP charges of hypocrisy. At a Prayagraj event he called India's education system a "chakravyuh" and ran an Instagram AMA calling it "collapsed, unaffordable and oppressive." He also alleged the E20 ethanol-petrol rollout destroys vehicles and is linked to corruption; Petroleum Minister Puri rejected the claims. FIRs were filed against him after a July 31 Parliament skit protesting alleged Ram Temple donation embezzlement.
On their plate
Gandhi received a formal Lok Sabha privilege notice on Aug 14 over remarks against Amit Shah, with a response due Aug 28. The Supreme Court quashed a defamation summons over his Savarkar remark the same day, and on Aug 17 a bench will hear his petition challenging CBI/ED verification of disproportionate-asset and dual-citizenship allegations filed by a BJP worker.
Gandhi rejected Shah's 24-hour debate offer as a "lecture," demanding Shah answer who ordered pellet guns and nailed lathis used on July 20 protesters and resign if it was him. The standoff has repeatedly adjourned the Lok Sabha. The Supreme Court ordered an evidence-based inquiry into the crackdown, which left around 150 students hospitalized.
Gandhi alleged China blocked Indian army patrols at specific Arunachal Pradesh points and cited 628 Chinese border villages, accusing Modi of suppressing the news. The Army, MEA, and Arunachal CM rejected the claims. At a Congress convention he mocked Modi's foreign policy as "hugging leaders" and staged a mock hug referencing Italy's PM Meloni.
At a Prayagraj event Gandhi told students they are trapped in a "chakravyuh" of expensive education and unemployment, citing 152 paper leaks over a decade. He ran an Instagram AMA calling the system "collapsed, unaffordable and oppressive." On IYC Foundation Day, Gandhi and Kharge saluted the youth wing as a rights platform, with Venugopal branding the government "patently anti-youth." In Jharkhand, Gandhi backed recruitment-scam protesters but framed the issue as systemic, avoiding direct criticism of coalition partner Hemant Soren and drawing BJP charges of hypocrisy.
FIRs were filed against Gandhi in Varanasi and New Delhi after a July 31 Parliament skit protesting alleged embezzlement of Ram Temple donations. BJP's Giriraj Singh and VHP condemned the skit as insulting Sanatan Dharma, while opposition MPs demanded Shah explain inaction on the actual theft case.
Key relationships
Priyanka defended Gandhi when MP CM Mohan Yadav attacked him for undermining the LoP office over his handling of student protests.
Gandhi rejected Shah's debate offer as a "lecture," demanded his resignation over the student crackdown, and accused him of pressuring media to suppress the Arunachal China-patrol story.
Gandhi deliberately avoided directly attacking Jharkhand CM Soren over the recruitment-scam protests, framing the issue as a systemic failure instead, exposing coalition tension the BJP has exploited.
Defence Minister Singh called Gandhi's mock-hug conduct at the Rachnatmak Congress convention abominable after Gandhi mocked Modi's foreign policy.
Gandhi named BJP's Amarinder Singh his favorite opposing-party leader for his military-history expertise and family ties; Amarinder acknowledged the lifelong Gandhi-family bond but reaffirmed his BJP commitment.
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