The Bharatiya Janata Party on July 2 stepped up criticism of Congress leader and Lok Sabha opposition chief Rahul Gandhi by displaying posters in parts of Delhi that mock his recent expression of regret to the Madhya Pradesh High Court in a defamation matter.
The posters feature slogans including “I Am Sorry” and “I Am Orry” and describe Gandhi as ‘Maafiveer’. They relate to an ongoing legal dispute over remarks allegedly made about Kartikeya Singh, son of Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
New posters appeared in several Central Delhi locations on the morning of July 2. BJP leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga shared photographs of the posters on social media.
The displays show Gandhi next to the label “Maafiveer Rahul Gandhi”, a phrase meant to suggest he often apologises after making accusations.
The effort follows Gandhi’s filing with the Madhya Pradesh High Court in which he expressed regret over a statement central to the defamation complaint lodged by Kartikeya Singh.
The case originates from comments attributed to Gandhi at an election rally in Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh, in 2018. The complaint states that Gandhi mentioned Singh’s name while discussing the Panama Papers, causing reputational harm.
A Bhopal court handling cases involving legislators later issued summons to Gandhi. He then petitioned the Madhya Pradesh High Court to quash the summons and the proceedings.
In a submission to the High Court, Gandhi said through counsel that the remarks were not aimed at Kartikeya Singh and expressed regret over the statement at issue. He has maintained that Singh was never the target and has asked the court for relief. The High Court is scheduled to hear the matter.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla accused Gandhi of making unsubstantiated claims and later withdrawing when facing legal consequences. Poonawalla stated that Gandhi has shown a pattern of issuing accusations and then retreating in court.
The poster campaign forms part of the BJP’s effort to present Gandhi as a leader who makes unverified allegations and later retreats under legal pressure. Congress views the submission as a clarification that the statement did not target Kartikeya Singh.
The dispute remains before the Madhya Pradesh High Court, which will decide whether the summons and defamation proceedings continue.
