Kiren Rijiju attacks Rahul Gandhi for 'IAF's hands tied' remark: 'Why keep lying?'

In another post, the minister said, “I request Rahul Gandhi ji to maintain the decorum of India’s Parliament

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday launched a sharp attack on Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of “lying” and “damaging India’s high reputation” over his remarks in Parliament regarding the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Operation Sindoor.

His comments came after IAF Chief Air Marshal AP Singh dismissed Gandhi’s claim that the government had instructed the IAF not to target Pakistan’s air defence systems during the operation, saying that the force had “full freedom” to plan and execute attacks on Pakistan.

Sharing a video of Gandhi’s statement alongside Singh’s remarks, Rijiju posted on X, “Why do you keep lying all the time?… You have not only lowered your stature but damaged India’s high reputation.”

He added in Hindi: “Jooth bolne ki bhi seema hoti hai. Ab Bharat ke log hi Shri Rahul Gandhi se kahenge ki ab bohot ho gaya" (There is a limit to lies. Now only the people of Bharat will tell Shri Rahul Gandhi that enough is enough).

In another post, the minister said, “I request Rahul Gandhi ji to maintain the decorum of India’s Parliament. Why do you keep lying all the time? I have witnessed many Leaders of Opposition who had maintained Parliamentary standards. You have not only lowered your stature but damaged India’s high reputation!”

I request Rahul Gandhi ji to maintain the decorum of India's Parliament. Why do you keep lying all the time? I have witnessed many Leaders of Opposition who had maintained Parliamentary standards. You have not only lowered your stature but damaged India's high reputation! pic.twitter.com/TwVQEnKX9q

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) August 9, 2025

Speaking during the debate on Operation Sindoor in Parliament, Gandhi had alleged that the government had tied the IAF’s hands during the mission. “You went into Pakistan, you attacked Pakistan, and you told our pilots do not attack their air defence systems, meaning you told our pilots go and attack and face the air defence systems of Pakistan. Meaning, you tied their hands behind their backs,” he said.

Addressing an event in Bengaluru on Saturday, Air Marshal AP Singh said, “There was very clear political will, very clear directions were given to us and there were no kind of restrictions which were put on us.” He credited this “very clear political will” as a key factor in the operation’s success.

“Many people have spoken somewhere unfortunately, every one is speaking about it… there were talks about was there any restriction, were you kept constraint. If there were any constraints, they were self made,” Singh said.