Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Centre, accusing the government of following a “DDLJ” policy — “Deny, Distract, Lie, and Justify” — in its handling of the border situation with China.
Ramesh’s remarks came hours after the Supreme Court rebuked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for claiming that China had annexed more than 2,000 kilometres of Indian territory, sparking a fierce counterattack from the BJP.
In a post on social media, Ramesh posed eight pointed questions to the government, alleging that the Modi government has been evading accountability ever since 20 Indian soldiers were martyred in the Galwan Valley clash on June 15, 2020.
“Ever since 20 brave soldiers were martyred in Galwan, every patriotic Indian has sought answers. Yet instead of providing answers, the Modi government for the past five years has chosen to obfuscate and hide the truth with its policy of DDLJ — Deny, Distract, Lie, and Justify,” he wrote.
The Congress leader questioned why the Prime Minister gave what he described as a “clean chit” to China on June 19, 2020, just days after the deadly clash, when he said, “Na koi hamari seema mein ghus aaya hai, na hi koi ghusa hua hai” (Neither has anyone intruded into our territory, nor is anyone inside it).
Ramesh asked whether the withdrawal agreement signed on October 21, 2024 truly restored the status quo of April 2020, as claimed by Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi.
He also sought clarity on whether Indian patrols now require Chinese concurrence to access Patrolling Points that were previously accessible under India’s territorial rights.
Referring to reports from 2020, Ramesh claimed that around 1,000 square kilometres of land in eastern Ladakh, including 900 square kilometres in Depsang, had come under Chinese control.
Further, he asked if it was not true that the Modi government was pursuing “normalisation” with China, a country that allegedly supported Pakistan’s military during Operation Sindoor by supplying the J-10C fighter jet and PL-15 air-to-air missile and providing “live inputs” into Indian military operations, as stated by Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt General Rahul R Singh on July 4, 2025.
Supreme Court Rebukes Rahul Gandhi
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court slammed Rahul Gandhi for alleging that China had annexed over 2,000 square kilometres of Indian territory, observing that a “true Indian” would not make such a remark. However, the court stayed defamation proceedings filed against him over the statement.
“How did you know about 2,000 km being annexed by the Chinese? If you’re a true Indian, you wouldn’t say it,” the court asked while hearing the case.
Gandhi had made the remarks during a press conference in Rajasthan in 2022, where he questioned the BJP’s silence over China’s alleged occupation of Indian territory and its clashes with the Indian Army.
“People will ask about Bharat Jodo Yatra, here and there, Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot and whatnot. But they will not ask a single question about China capturing 2,000 square kilometres of Indian territory, killing 20 Indian soldiers and thrashing our soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh. But the Indian press doesn’t ask them about this. Isn’t it true? The nation is watching all this. Don’t pretend that people don’t know,” Gandhi had said.
BJP Hits Back at Rahul Gandhi
The BJP swiftly seized on the Supreme Court’s observations to hit back at Rahul Gandhi and the Congress. BJP National Spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said the court’s remark “raises a question about the credibility of Rahul Gandhi”.
“When our Army showed its bravery and pushed back the Chinese Army, Rahul Gandhi said that the Chinese Army captured 2,000 sq km of Indian territory, killing 20 Indian soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh. The Supreme Court made a statement on his remark. They said that if you are a true Indian, then you wouldn’t say this. This raises a question about the credibility of Rahul Gandhi. How mature is he as the leader of the Congress Party?” Bhatia asked.
BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya called Gandhi a “certified anti-national” and accused him of seeking foreign support during the 2024 elections.
“During the Galwan face-off, when India was defending its sovereignty, Rahul Gandhi chose to receive a briefing from Chinese officials instead of Indian diplomats. He routinely makes baseless and demoralising remarks about the Indian Army — statements that are amplified by adversaries,” Malviya said.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, reshared his earlier remarks in Parliament, calling Gandhi’s comments a “false narrative” and insisting that “China has not taken even an inch of land in Arunachal Pradesh”.
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