The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strongly refuted claims made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi regarding the late Arun Jaitley, demanding an apology and urging Gandhi to adhere to factual accuracy. Gandhi stated that Jaitley, a former Union Minister, was "sent to him" to dissuade him from opposing the contentious farm laws. The BJP has dismissed these remarks as "fake news" and an attempt to distort timelines for political purposes.

During the Congress' Annual Legal Conclave on Saturday, August 2, 2025, Gandhi alleged that Jaitley had threatened him with potential governmental action if he persisted in his opposition to the farm laws. Gandhi recounted his response, stating he told Jaitley that Congress members are not cowards and cannot be bent, referencing the inability of even the British to subdue them.

The BJP swiftly countered Gandhi's claims. Amit Malviya, head of the BJP's IT cell, labeled the allegations as "Fake News Alert" on X (formerly Twitter). Malviya pointed out that Arun Jaitley passed away on August 24, 2019, while the draft Farm Bills were presented to the Union Cabinet on June 3, 2020, and enacted in September 2020. He argued that any discussions related to the farm laws would have occurred after these dates, making it impossible for Jaitley to have approached Gandhi before the laws were even drafted. Malviya urged Gandhi to "stick to facts and not rewrite timelines to suit narratives".

Rohan Jaitley, son of the late Arun Jaitley, also criticized Gandhi's statement. Rohan Jaitley took to X to remind Rahul Gandhi that his father passed away in 2019, while the farm laws were introduced in 2020. He asked Gandhi to "let the departed Rest in Peace".