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How Jaishankar targeted Congress over China in Lok Sabha: ‘Didn’t go for Olympics, secret agreements’
Jaishankar said China was issuing stapled visas to people from Arunachal Pradesh and J&K even as some were watching the Olympics.
External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Monday hit out at the Congress party, questioning its historical stance on China and dismissing its recent criticism of the Modi government’s handling of Beijing.
“Getting these lectures that China is a great danger, China and Pakistan are together, we are warning you... So, what does the Congress party really think about China? Don’t go by what they say. Let us see what they did,” Jaishankar said during a discussion on Operation Sindoor in the Lok Sabha.
Jaishankar questioned Congress's past approach to China, saying it designated China a strategic partner in 2005 and promoted the idea of “Chindia” to highlight shared interests.
“In 2005, China was designated as a strategic partner during Prime Minister Wen Jiabao’s visit… There is a famous concept called Chindia, a belief that China and India have common interests, and the main proponent of Chindia is the party spokesperson of the people opposite,” he said, referring to Congress.
Jaishankar said he visited China to clearly convey India’s stand on de-escalation, trade restrictions, and terrorism, not for the Olympics or secret deals.
“Some mention was made about visits, including my visit. Yes, I went to China. I went to China to make our position very clear about de-escalation, about trade restrictions, and about terrorism. I did not go to China for the Olympics. I did not go to China for secret agreements.”
Jaishankar said China was issuing stapled visas for Arunachal and Jammu and Kashmir even as some were watching the Olympics, calling it the “reality of China.”
“The House should know people were watching the Olympics when China was issuing stapled visas for people from Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. This is the reality of China,” he said.
Jaishankar also said the Opposition lectures the government on handling China, but it had allowed 2G and 3G from China, while the current regime built indigenous 5G.
