By PTI
NEW DELHI: The Congress on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being more concerned about the “artificial image” he has created about himself than the geographical integrity of India’s borders and questioned his silence on China’s continued incursions.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also took a swipe at the prime minister asking why he does not show red eyes to China.
“‘Mr 56 inch’, why don’t you show red eyes,” he asked in a tweet in Hindi, tagging a news report that China was not ready to step back at the borders after the 13th round of commander-level talks.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera alleged at a press conference that a strong country like India with a strong army has a “weak” prime minister who was not ready to even name China.
“Here is the prime minister in India who is more worried about an artificial image which he has created about himself and is much more worried about it than the geographical integrity of the borders of India,” he told reporters.
He said the prime minister and ministers should talk with sensitivity especially while speaking about foreign policy.
“We have a strong country and a strong army but a weak prime minister. There is clearly a lack of political will when China says we will not go back. China is displaying such courage as it knows that our prime minister will give it a clean chit before the world,” he alleged.
The Congress leader recalled Modi’s June 19, 2020 statement at an all-party meeting that there has been no transgressions into Indian territory and asked, “Why did the prime minister of India lie to the nation and gave a misplaced clean chit to China.” He also alleged that Modi has diluted five agreements entered between India and China in the past and the balance is now tilting towards China on these deals.
“Why is this weak government unable to make sure China adheres to these five agreements. We have a strong Army and why do we have a weak prime minister who dilutes India’s strengths,” he asked.
Khera said there was no agreement coming out of the 13th round of Corps Commander Level meeting as the Chinese have been “brazenly entering Indian territory, while our jawans at the borders are bravely stopping, but this government and especially the prime minister is scared of even taking the name of China and holding them accountable”.
He also asked how over 100 Chinese troops enter 5 km into Indian territory near Barahoti crossing the Tun Jun La pass in Uttarakhand and stay there for over three hours on August 30.
“Hasn’t this government and its agencies failed at protecting India’s national security and sovereignty,” he further asked.
Khera alleged that Chinese incursions over the past couple of years have happened in almost all sectors – from Ladakh to Uttarakhand to Sikkim to Arunachal Pradesh, but the government is silent.
“Even the Army Chief of India said, ‘China is here to stay’.
Why are the Prime Minister, Defence Minister and Minister of External Affairs silent,” he asked, alleging that the implications of the Chinese incursions are extremely critical, especially when the PLA isn’t even open to discuss de-escalation in two extremely strategic and critical sectors for India – Depsang and Daulat Beg Oldi sectors.
Khera claimed that there was danger looming large on our borders as China has made a massive troop build-up in Daulat Beg Oldi sector and has upgraded its weapons and deployed S-400 air defence missile system which is 400 km in the vicinity of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
“The problem with our prime minister is that he shows red eyes to people within the country instead of showing them to China. He should quit Twitter and run the country instead,” the Congress leader also said.
