Congress attacks govt on Rajnath’s remarks

New Delhi: The Congress launched another attack on the Narendra Modi government on Sunday, seeking an explanation on defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s remark that he couldn’t guarantee to what extent tensions along the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh could be resolved, and hit back at foreign minister S Jaishankar.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In a tweet, Gandhi said: “BJP has institutionalised lies. 1. Covid19 by restricting testing and misreporting deaths. 2. GDP by using a new calculation method. 3. Chinese aggression by frightening the media. The illusion will break soon and India will pay the price.”

The Congress cited Singh’s remarks during his Ladakh tour, where the defence minister said on Friday: “Talks are underway to resolve the border dispute but to what extent it can be resolved I cannot guarantee. I can assure you, not one inch of our land can be taken by any power in the world. If solution can be found by talks, there is nothing better.”

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, “Has Modi government accepted Chinese transgressions and also admitted that they have no solution to push the Chinese back into their own territory behind the LAC between India and China?”

While Surjewala emphasized that “national security or territorial integrity of India” can never be compromised, Anand Sharma, senior Congress leader and member of the Rajya Sabha, tweeted that he was “amused” by Jaishankar’s defence of a “directionless foreign policy”.

Sharma targeted Jaishankar after the latter’s point-by-point rebuttal of Rahul Gandhi’s video interview on how Modi’s policies had weakened India.

“Neighbourhood first has been a priority of India’s foreign policy but sadly derailed by a cavalier approach,” Sharma said, pointing out that: “India & Nepal have historically shared a relationship bases on trust, friendship, and mutual respect. The present drift and tension are a matter of national concern. Foreign minister cannot have the luxury of denial but should answer for the failures.”

After Jaishankar compared Balakot and Uri-- instances of cross-border action military against terrorists—to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks – to show how the latter had gone unpunished, Sharma tweeted, “Dr Jaishankar’s reference to Mumbai terror attack was oddly out of place. As India’s Ambassador and senior diplomat, he was articulating India’s position which, for political expediency, he has chosen to criticize and disown. “

“Do I have to remind that Indian Army, Airforce and Navy existed before May 2014 and their heroics and valour respected globally. Army belongs to the nation and fights under the tricolour. Advising in national interest. Do not politicise or monopolise our defence forces,” tweeted Sharma.