JP Nadda, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president, on Tuesday accused Rahul Gandhi of trying to “divide the nation” and “demoralise” the country’s armed forces as he questioned the Congress leader over his jibes at the Centre’s handling of the border tension with China.
The BJP president’s latest tweet has added to the war of words between the ruling party at the Centre and the opposition over last week’s border violent standoff with China in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh.
Twenty Indian Army soldiers, including a colonel, were killed in the deadly clash with China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh on June 15.
Since then the Congress party has been relentless in its attacks on the government. On Monday, former prime minister Manmohan Singh said a PM must be mindful of the implications of his words on a nation’s strategic interests and that “disinformation” was no substitute for diplomacy or decisive leadership.
Rahul Gandhi has alleged that PM Modi surrendered Indian territory to the Chinese and said he hoped Prime Minister Narendra Modi will “politely” accept Singh’s advice for the betterment of India.
{{/usCountry}}Rahul Gandhi has alleged that PM Modi surrendered Indian territory to the Chinese and said he hoped Prime Minister Narendra Modi will “politely” accept Singh’s advice for the betterment of India.
{{/usCountry}}Even on Tuesday, the former Congress president kept up with his criticism of the government in a tweet.
After Rahul Gandhi’s tweet, Nadda asked whether it was the “effect” of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) the Congress had signed with the Communist Party of China.
“First, Congress signs MoU with the Chinese Communist Party. Then, Congress surrenders land to China. During Doklam issue, Rahul Gandhi secretly goes to the Chinese embassy. During crucial situations, Rahul Gandhi tries to divide the nation and demoralise armed forces. Effects of MoU?” Nadda asked in a tweet.
The BJP president was referring to the MoU signed by the two parties in 2008 to facilitate high-level exchange between them and consult each other over important regional and international issues.
Rahul Gandhi, who was a Congress general secretary then, and Xi Jinping had signed that MoU in 2008. Xi was a senior functionary of his party during that period and is now China’s president,
Nadda also posted a photograph with his tweet with the timeline of what he said was the “story of a MoU and its effects”.
This is the second time Nadda has hit out at the Congress, alleging that its leaders were demoralising the Indian Army.
He had, in a series of tweets, questioned Manmohan Singh’s statement over the June 15 brutal clash in Galwan Valley.
“Dear Dr. Singh and Congress Party, Please stop insulting our forces repeatedly, questioning their valour. You did this post the air strikes and surgical strikes. Please understand the true meaning of national unity, especially in such times. It’s never too late to improve,” Nadda had tweeted on Monday.
Before that, he had questioned the Congress party on the same lines while addressing a virtual rally in Rajasthan on Sunday.
“When we are fighting in Galwan, a leader is damaging the morale of forces with his tweets. He is showing his limited intellect,” he said.
“(He is asking) why have our forces gone unarmed. Don’t you know international treaties? And they didn’t go unarmed. Why are you exposing your limited intellect?” Nadda asked.
The senior BJP leader had said India’s defence forces were capable of protecting its borders everywhere.