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'This is Savarkar's ideology, you call it nationalism?': Rahul Gandhi on China
‘Was the British economy smaller than us when we fought them? You call it nationalism? This is Savarkar’s ideology, this is cowardice," Rahul Gandhi said denouncing Jaishankar's comment on China.
Referring to external affairs minister S Jaishankar's 'China is a bigger economy than India', Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said this is cowardice. "You call it nationalism?" Rahul Gandhi said as he addressed the 85th plenary session in Raipur. "A minister says in an interview that India has a smaller economy than China. So how can we fight them? Was our economy very big when we were fighting the British? This is cowardice," Rahul Gandhi said. Read | ‘Is Jaishankarji suffering from Stockholm syndrome?’ Cong's attack on LAC remark
“This is Savarkar's ideology to bow before the one who is stronger than you. So you will fight only with those who are weaker than you? This is called cowardice,” Rahul Gandhi said. “And India's minister is telling China that we can't stand in front of you because you are stronger than us. What is this nationalism? There is a term for it. We are called satyagrahi but they are sattagrahi,” Rahul Gandhi said.
In an interview with news agency ANI, Jaishankar recently addressed the China issue and the allegations of the opposition. "Who sent the Army to the LAC? It was not Rahul Gandhi, but PM Modi," Jaishankar said.
"I won't say we are fortifying the border. We are legitimately building our border infrastructure because they are building their border infrastructure. In my view, we should have done it 25 years ago," Jaishankar said in the interview on the border issue. "I mean, look they are the bigger economy. What am I going to do? As a smaller economy, I am going to pick up a fight with the bigger economy? It's not a question of being reactionary, it's a question of common sense," Jaishankar said.
While the Congress condemned the statement and called it demoralising for the armed forces, this is the first time Rahul Gandhi referred to the comment.
