New Delhi [India], August 5 (ANI): Backing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, party MP Randeep Surjewala said the Chinese occupation of Indian territory is a 'reality' that should not be ignored.

Surjewala said questioning the government on the issue is an act of patriotism, not contempt of court.

In a post on X on Monday, Surjewala wrote, The Chinese Occupation of Indian territory is a 'reality' that 'no patriotic Indian' should wish away or hide under the carpet. Nationalism mandates that Govt must be questioned on vacation of Indian territory by the Chinese and restoration of 'status quo ante' as on April 2020, as Rahulji has done repeatedly.'

https://x.com/rssurjewala/status/1952401545984717129

'If this is 'contempt', I, an Indian Citizen, must commit it 'My Lord', for this is the test of being a true Indian and a patriot. Hold me and millions of Indians in 'contempt', but let's take our territory back from the Chinese,' the post reads.

A day earlier, the Supreme Court pulled up Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his alleged remarks on the Indian Army after a clash between the Indian and Chinese armies in the Yangsi region of Arunachal Pradesh in 2022.

A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih expressed disapproval of Gandhi's remarks, saying how does he know the Chinese occupied 2000 square kilometres of land and said that a true indian wouldn't say such a thing.

Justice Datta said, 'How do you get to know that 2000 square kilometres of Indian territory was occupied by China? What is the credible material? If you are a true indian, you would not say this. When there is a conflict across borders... can you say all this?'

Congress leader had made the remarks on December 16, 2022, during his 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'.

Gandhi had said, 'People will ask about Bharat Jodo Yatra, here and there, Ashok Gahlot and Sachin Pilot and whatnot. But they will not ask a single question about China capturing 2,000 square kilometres of Indian territory, 'killing 20 Indian soldiers' and 'thrashing our soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh'.

'But the Indian press doesn't ask a question to them about this. Isn't it true? The nation is watching all this. Don't pretend that people don't know,' he added. (ANI)