Sanjay Raut Defends Rahul Gandhi Against Kiren Rijiju

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut defended Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on August 25, 2026, following a public dispute with Union Minister Kiren Rijiju. The conflict began when Rijiju posted on X questioning the Congress party's call to "smash patriarchy," asking why the party allegedly targets only Hindus while ignoring issues such as Triple Talaq.

Raut responded by asserting that the BJP is "afraid" of Gandhi and maintained that Gandhi has never spoken against Hinduism. He characterized Rijiju as not being a "big enough leader" to make such comments and claimed that Gandhi is now "beyond your control."

In a separate matter, Raut supported a letter sent by Gandhi on August 24 to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The letter demanded government intervention regarding a hunger strike by tribal students in Pune who are protesting poor food quality and "humiliating rules" in state-run hostels. Raut alleged that the contractors responsible for the food are linked to the BJP, arguing that Gandhi's intervention was necessary to bring national attention to the students' plight.