Union Ministers call Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on PM Modi ‘undignified, undemocratic’

Union Ministers on Friday (August 13, 2026) condemned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India’s foreign policy, describing them as undignified, undemocratic, and an insult to the country’s international reputation.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said Mr. Gandhi’s comments, made at a Congress event on Thursday (August 13, 2026), were “extremely low-level and condemnable”. He said in his long political life, he had “never seen any Leader of the Opposition” — whether it was Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L.K. Advani, Manmohan Singh or Sonia Gandhi — “engage in such unseemly conduct”.

Stating that such conduct was a serious warning sign for a healthy democracy in India, he said, “Whatever resentment Rahul Gandhi ji may harbour in his heart toward the Prime Minister, such indecent remarks are utterly unacceptable.”

Mr. Singh further asked if the Congress can claim the legacy of towering personalities such as Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Subhas Chandra Bose, Rajendra Prasad, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Narasimha Rao and Pranab Mukherjee.

The Minister accused Mr. Gandhi of not only insulting the Prime Minister but also disrespecting India’s international reputation, undermining the dignity of democracy, and undermining the position of the Leader of the Opposition. “I cannot even imagine that someone with the word Gandhi attached to their name could give such a shameful statement,” he said.

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also expressed anguish. “…while democracy grants everyone the freedom of expression, the violation of decorum is truly distressing. The conduct of the Leader of the Opposition was un-Indian, undignified, and undemocratic — a blatant disregard for all norms of propriety,” he said.

“Does it befit the Congress party to speak in such a manner about the female Prime Minister of an independent and sovereign nation? Do these reflect the true spirit of India? I condemn this in the strongest terms; they must apologise,” said Mr. Chouhan, referring to the remarks of Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit at the same event.

Health Minister J.P. Nadda said it was a “misfortune” for the country to have such a Leader of the Opposition. “What could be more distressing for the Congress itself than having to accept Rahul Gandhi as its leader?” he added.