BJP ministers slam Rahul Gandhi over 'Jaitley threatened me' remark
What's the story
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ministers have slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on the late Arun Jaitley. Speaking at a Congress event, Gandhi alleged that Jaitley had threatened him over opposing the government on farm laws. However, Jaitley's son Rohan refuted this, pointing out that his father died in 2019 before the farm laws were introduced in 2020.
Family response
Rohan Jaitley clarifies farm laws were introduced after father's death
Rohan Jaitley said, "Rahul Gandhi now claims my late father...threatened him over the farm laws. Let me remind him, my father passed away in 2019. The farm laws were introduced in 2020." He added that it was not his father's nature to threaten anyone, and he believed in building consensus through free and open discussions.
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Rohan Jaitley's rebuttal
Rahul Gandhi now claims my late father, Arun Jaitley, threatened him over the farm laws.
— Rohan Jaitley (@rohanjaitley) August 2, 2025
Let me remind him, my father passed away in 2019. The farm laws were introduced in 2020. More importantly, it was not in my father's nature to threaten anyone over an opposing view. He was a…
Ministerial backlash
BJP ministers call Gandhi's remarks 'despicable'
BJP ministers have slammed Gandhi's comments as "irresponsible" and "hateful." Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman called his remarks "despicable," adding that such baseless allegations are becoming a personality trait for him. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju asked how Jaitley could meet Gandhi over farm laws when he died in 2019. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said Gandhi has shredded all standards of decorum in public life with his remarks.
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Kiren Rijiju's take
Whole day I was thinking.... that how much one can lie?
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) August 2, 2025
Late Arun Jaitley ji died on 24 August 2019!
Three Agriculture - Related Bills were introduced in Lok Sabha on 14th sept 2020.
How can late Arun Jaitley ji meet Shri Rahul Gandhi for Farm Laws when he is no more alive !!!! pic.twitter.com/hfsDwmETTH
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Nirmala Sitharaman's criticism
If irresponsibility has a face, it is @RahulGandhi, Leader of Opposition in LS. To throw baseless allegations at people in public life, even those who are no longer with us, is becoming a personality trait in him. His remarks on late Shri. Arun Jaitley is despicable.
— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) August 2, 2025
India needs… https://t.co/QZKZX4BdUP
Official statement
BJP's official handle on X slams Gandhi
The BJP's official handle on X said, "Basic logic is the last thing you can expect from Rahul Gandhi." In response to the backlash, senior Congress leader Pawan Khera said on X that it wasn't about one Bill or Act but about defending India's farmers. He added, "What matters is not who conveyed the threat, but on whose behalf was it being conveyed."