Rijiju tells Rahul Gandhi: Arunachal river swimming needs training, not child's play

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday responded to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's fitness remarks, saying that swimming in the gushing rivers of Arunachal Pradesh is not for beginners. In a post on X, Mr. Rijiju said that while Mr. Gandhi may need training for such activities, it has been a part of his own life since childhood.

"Mein yahan ka khiladi hun [I am the player here]," Mr. Rijiju wrote in Hindi, responding to comparisons with Mr. Gandhi, who has spoken about swimming as part of his fitness routine.

"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]," he wrote, sharing a video of himself swimming in an Arunachal river.

Mr. Rijiju also cautioned against swimming in unfamiliar waters. "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 said.

In a follow-up post, he explained the difference between swimming in a pool or calmer waters and swimming in a fast-flowing river. "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.

The exchange is the latest in a series of good-humoured interactions between the two political rivals over fitness. In December last year, Mr. Rijiju shared an Instagram video of a conversation with Mr. Gandhi in Parliament. "Not talking politics, only fitness. I hope he will promote #FitIndiaMovement," the minister had said at the time.

During that conversation, Mr. Gandhi reportedly asked Mr. Rijiju about his exercise routine and invited him to work out together. The conversation also turned to martial arts, with Mr. Gandhi suggesting they train together.

Mr. Gandhi again referred to his exchange with Mr. Rijiju while speaking in the Lok Sabha during the Budget session in February. He said Mr. Rijiju had once asked him how he stayed fit, and he had told the minister about his practice of jiu-jitsu. Mr. Gandhi then used the martial art to make a political point, describing how a fighter establishes a "grip", moves to a "choke" and eventually forces the opponent to "tap".

The friendly banter continued in June when Mr. Rijiju wished Mr. Gandhi on his 56th birthday. "Thank you for the warm wishes, Kiren Rijiju Ji. When are we doing our jiu-jitsu session?" Mr. Gandhi had responded.

The latest remarks by Mr. Rijiju highlight the contrasting backgrounds of the two leaders. Mr. Rijiju, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, has often spoken about his adventurous childhood in the northeastern state, while Mr. Gandhi has highlighted his fitness regimen, including swimming and martial arts, as part of his public image.