New Delhi, Aug 23: While sharing videos of himself swimming in a river in Arunachal Pradesh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday quipped that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi may need training before taking on the state's deep and fast-flowing waters. " Mein yahan ka khiladi hun (I am the player here)," Rijiju said in a post on social media on Sunday.

The remarks are the latest in a series of good-humoured exchanges between the two political rivals over fitness, including 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. com/fvDaGKgr3W— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) August 23, 2026 " 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.

He later posted another video, explaining why swimming in the rivers of Arunachal was different from swimming in a pool or in calmer waters." 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.

When some drew comparisons with Gandhi, Rijiju responded by pointing to his childhood in Arunachal Pradesh. In December last year, Rijiju posted on Instagram a video of a conversation with Gandhi in Parliament.

" Not talking politics, only fitness. I hope he will promote #FitIndiaMovement," the minister had said.

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