Kiren Rijiju takes dig at Rahul Gandhi over river swimming, says ‘Mein yahan ka khiladi hun’

The political rivalry between the BJP and Congress has often revolved around which party can claim the upper hand. But lately, a lighter version of that competition appears to have extended to the fitness and adventurous activities of their leaders. The latest episode came after Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju shared videos of himself taking a plunge into the fast-flowing waters of Arunachal Pradesh. Taking a playful swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Rijiju suggested that Gandhi might need some training before attempting such an activity. "Mein yahan ka khiladi hun (I am the player here)," Rijiju said in a post on X.

The exchange is the latest in a series of light-hearted interactions between the two political rivals over fitness and physical activities. Their friendly banter has included a conversation in Parliament last year and a jiu-jitsu challenge from Gandhi earlier this year. "Many people are saying that I'm also doing like Rahul Gandhi. Rahul ji may take training for such activities but it's normal routine in my life. I don't take training as these are child's play for me since childhood. My life is full of adventurous (adventures)," Rijiju wrote, posting a video of himself swimming in a river in Arunachal Pradesh.

"Never go to deep water if you do not know swimming. Many people have drowned in the river. The rivers in Arunachal Pradesh are huge and very deep," he wrote. Rijiju later shared another video explaining why swimming in Arunachal Pradesh's turbulent rivers is significantly different from swimming in a pool or relatively calm water. "Some people might think swimming in gushing rivers of Arunachal Pradesh is like swimming in pools or rivers like Yamuna. In raging rivers, our head should be up, not down & body should be more upright, not straight as we keep in swimming competition. Mein yahan ka khiladi hun," he said.

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Rahul Gandhi and Rijiju's fitness conversations

In December last year, Rijiju shared a video on Instagram showing a conversation with Gandhi in Parliament. "Not talking politics, only fitness. I hope he will promote #FitIndiaMovement," the minister had said. According to an ANI report, Gandhi asked Rijiju about his exercise routine during the conversation and invited him to work out together. Their discussion also touched on martial arts, with Gandhi suggesting that the two could train together.

How Rahul Gandhi stays fit at 56

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has frequently spoken about his interest in fitness and physical activities. Recently, he discussed his fitness routine during an Instagram Ask Me Anything session, where he answered questions from students and Gen Z users about his personal life and interests. “Students, Gen Z, ask me anything and I will reply to as many questions,” Gandhi wrote while inviting questions from his followers.

When a follower asked, “Hey Rahul, what’s your fitness routine?”, Gandhi said that there is no single workout regimen that guarantees fitness. Instead, he stressed the importance of consistency. “The thing about fitness that is important is not really the routine you follow. It is being persistent, doing it continuously and allowing it to compound,” he said.

Gandhi said his routine combines several forms of physical activity. “I like doing a little bit of martial arts, swimming and running,” he said. He also revealed that yoga has recently become an important part of his routine. Rather than exercising only when he has free time, Gandhi said he makes fitness a priority even amid a busy schedule.