Rahul Gandhi   |  Photo Credit: ANI
New Delhi: Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi today came down heavily upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Cente, accusing it of “bringing China and Pakistan” together and making a “huge strategic mistake” in Jammu and Kashmir.
In a sharp-worded speech in Lok Sabha, Gandhi said the country has been surrounded by opponents on all sides and is isolated in the region.
“Ask yourselves why you are not able to get a guest on Republic Day. Today India is completely isolated and surrounded. We are surrounded in Sri Lanka, Nepal, Burma, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China. Everywhere we are surrounded. Our opponents understand our position,” he added.
Gandhi was speaking first from the Opposition side in the Lok Sabha during the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address.
The Congress leader said that the Modi government has brought Pakistan and China together, terming it a “single biggest crime” against India.
“The Chinese have a very clear vision of what they want to do. The single biggest strategic goal of India’s foreign policy has been to keep Pakistan and China separate. This is fundamental for India and what have you done, you have brought them together,” he said.
“Do not be under any illusion, do not underestimate the force that is standing in front of you. You have brought Pakistan and China together. This is the single biggest crime that you could commit against the people of India,” he added.
Referring to the 2017 India-China border stand-off in Doklam and the recent Ladakh row, Gandhi said, “I can see China has a clear cut plan. The foundations of their plans have been put in place Doklam and in Ladakh. Do not underestimate what we are facing. This is a very, very serious threat to the Indian nation.”
In an apparent reference to the abrogation of Article 370, Gandhi went on to say the government made a “huge strategic mistake” in Jammu and Kashmir and India’s foreign policy.
Hitting back at the Gandhi over the accusation, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar highlighted instances of China and Pakistan working together when the Congress was in power at the Centre.
“Rahul Gandhi alleged in Lok Sabha that it is this Government which brought Pakistan and China together. Perhaps, some history lessons are in order,” he said on Twitter and cited four instances.
“In 1963, Pakistan illegally handed over the Shaksgam valley to China. China built the Karakoram highway through PoK in the 1970s. From the 1970s, the two countries also had close nuclear collaboration. In 2013, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor started,” he added.
Responding to Gandhi’s claim that India didn’t have a guest for Republic Day this year, the EAM clarified that foreign guests could not physically attend the event because of COVID-19 pandemic and that they held a virtual summit on January 27.
Taking a dig at Gandhi’s foreign trips, he said that “those who live in India” know that we are in the midst of a pandemic.
“In Lok Sabha, @RahulGandhi said we could not get a foreign guest for Republic Day. Those who live in India know we were in the midst of a corona wave. The 5 Central Asian Presidents, who were to come, did hold a virtual summit on Jan 27. Did Rahul Gandhi miss that as well?” he said.