Following the Supreme Court's rebuke of Rahul Gandhi for his remarks concerning Chinese occupation of Indian territory, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has strongly defended her brother, asserting that the judiciary cannot determine who is a "true Indian". The Supreme Court's criticism stemmed from Rahul Gandhi's statement during the 2022 Bharat Jodo Yatra, where he claimed that China had occupied 2,000 square kilometers of Indian land and was "thrashing our soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh".

Priyanka Gandhi, a Congress MP, responded to the Supreme Court's observation by stating, "With due respect to the honourable judges of the Supreme Court, they do not decide who a true Indian is". She emphasized that it is the duty of an opposition leader to question the government and that her brother would never speak against the Indian Army, holding them in the highest regard. She characterized the issue as a "misinterpretation".

The Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and A G Masih, had questioned Rahul Gandhi's remarks, particularly how he came to know about the alleged Chinese occupation. The court further questioned why he raised the issue on social media rather than in Parliament, stating that if he were a "true Indian," he would not make such statements.

In response to the Supreme Court's comments, Congress MP K.C. Venugopal stated that Rahul Gandhi was discussing what every nationalist Indian is thinking. He added that the government often labels those who raise questions about national interest outside Parliament as "anti-national" and questioned who would define a "true Indian".

The Supreme Court's rebuke occurred while it was hearing a plea by Rahul Gandhi challenging a defamation case against him related to his remarks about the Army. The court stayed the proceedings in that case. The defamation case originated from a complaint filed by Udai Shanker Srivastava, a former Director of the Border Roads Organisation, who alleged that Rahul Gandhi made derogatory and defamatory remarks about the Indian Army during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in December 2022.

Several individuals have shared their views on the matter. Some respected the judiciary but felt there was selective targeting. Others believed that leaders shouldn't demoralize the armed forces with baseless claims. Some comments emphasized that the real issue is China's aggression and the need for united action to protect the borders. Still, others argued that the government should be questioned about border security instead.