New Delhi/IBNS: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has attacked Congress MP Rahul Gandhi after his claim that China occupied 2,000 sq. km of Indian land drew sharp rebuke from the Supreme Court on Monday.

A top court bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and AG Masih slammed Rahul's remark which he passed during his nationwide mass outreach campaign, Bharat Jodo Yatra.

"How did you get to know that 2,000 sq km of Indian land has been taken over by the Chinese? If you are a true Indian... you won't say all of this," the bench said as quoted by NDTV.

Reacting to the court's observation, BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya wrote on X, "...Does anyone still doubt who Rahul Gandhi is speaking for?"

The court rapped Rahul even after staying the proceedings in the criminal defamation case against the Leader of Opposition, Lok Sabha.

The bench has issued a notice to quash the defamation case.

Representing the Congress' de facto top leader, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi said as reported by the broadcaster, "If he can't say these things... how can he be the Leader of Opposition?"

In response, Justice Datta said, "Then why don't you say such things in Parliament. Why say on social media?"

Rahul had made the claim in the backdrop of the 2020 deadly Galwan clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers along Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The Rae Bareli MP had accused the Modi government of surrendering before China.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had clarified neither anyone intruded into the Indian territory nor any post was captured.

"Neither anyone got inside our territory nor is any of our post captured," the Prime Minister had said in a statement.

The BJP has recently targeted Rahul over his support to US President Donald Trump's remark where he called the Indian economy "dead" amid the India-US tariff war.

"Yes, he is right. Everybody knows this except the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister. Everybody knows that the Indian economy is a dead economy. I am glad that President Trump has stated a fact," the senior parliamentarian said.

His remarks have been contradicted by several Congress leaders who have unequivocally condemned Trump's remark and refused to acknowledge the Indian economy as "dead".