‘Centre’s DDLJ Policy’ Congress Attack on Centre After SC Raps Rahul Gandhi
Congress on Monday launched a blistering attack on the central government over its handling of the China border situation, accusing it of pursuing a “DDLJ” policy of “Deny, Distract, Lie, and Justify.” The sharp criticism came shortly after the Supreme Court rebuked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his claims of Chinese territorial occupation, prompting the BJP to label the MP a “certified anti-national.”
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh unleashed a series of questions aimed at the government, alleging it has sought to evade accountability since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash. “Ever since 20 brave soldiers were martyred in Galwan on 15 June 2020, 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,” Ramesh stated. He questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2020 “clean chit” to China and sought clarity on whether the status quo of April 2020 has been restored in eastern Ladakh.
The Congress’s offensive followed a dramatic hearing in the Supreme Court, which, while staying a defamation case against Rahul Gandhi, strongly disapproved of his remarks. The court questioned the basis of his claim that China had annexed 2,000 square kilometres of Indian land. “If you were a true Indian, you would not say all this,” a judge remarked, asking Gandhi why he didn’t raise such issues in Parliament instead of on social media. The defamation case was filed over Gandhi’s 2022 comments where he claimed Chinese soldiers were “thrashing” Indian soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh.
The BJP immediately seized on the court’s observations to corner the opposition leader. National spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said the court’s remarks raised “a question about the credibility of Rahul Gandhi.” BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya went further, calling Gandhi a “certified anti-national” and accusing him of receiving a briefing from Chinese officials during the Galwan face-off.
Ramesh, in his statement, also highlighted India’s continued economic dependence on China and Beijing’s alleged support for Pakistan during “Operation Sindoor.” He questioned the government’s pursuit of “normalisation” with a country that he claimed has engaged in hostile actions against India, framing the government’s policy as a product of “cowardice and misplaced economic priorities.” This sharp exchange has intensified the political debate over India’s China policy, turning a judicial observation into a full-blown political war of words.
