PM Modi’s remarks on China feeble, says Congress

The Congress claimed that PM Modi missed the opportunity to send a powerful message to China to stop it from further asserting its claim on Indian territory

The Congress on Thursday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his “ineffective and feeble” response to China over alleged border incursions and demanded an apology from him.

Commenting on the Prime Minister’s interview to U.S.-based magazine, Newsweek, Congress general secretary (communication) Jairam Ramesh claimed, “the Prime Minister was at his cowardly worst”. 

“His only comment on China’s repeated infringements on Indian sovereignty was that the India-China border situation needs to be addressed urgently to resolve the ‘abnormality’ in the bilateral interactions,” Mr. Ramesh said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

The Congress leader claimed that the Prime Minister had a chance to send a powerful message to China but his “ineffective and feeble response” is likely to encourage China further in asserting its claim on Indian territory.

“The Prime Minister’s reaction to the China issue is not only disgraceful but also disrespectful to our martyrs who made the supreme sacrifice in defending our borders,” Mr. Ramesh said.

Referring to Mr. Modi’s statement at an all-party meeting post the Galway clashes, the Congress leader said Mr. Modi should apologise for keeping “the nation in dark about his failures in protecting the borders with China”.

“The Prime Minister should apologise to the 140 crore Indians for deceiving them on national television on June 19, 2020, with his statement Na Koi Ghusa Hai, Na Hi Koi Ghus Aaya hai [None has entered inside our territory]…” Mr. Ramesh said.

For the past four years, the Congress has targeted the Prime Minister and his government for giving a “clean chit” to China on the issue of border transgressions. 

Soon after Home Minister Amit Shah, at an election rally last Tuesday, had claimed that China had not occupied “an inch of Indian territory,” Mr. Ramesh had lashed out at the Home Minister.

“Now, the only man who can give the Prime Minister competition in lying and falsifying facts - his Home Minister - has also given a clean chit to China. He has claimed that China ‘couldn’t encroach a single inch of land’ under the Modi government,” the Congress leader had said on Tuesday.

Mr. Ramesh claimed “facts” suggest that China has occupied 2,000 sq km of Indian soil, taken over 26 out of 65 patrolling points in Ladakh and built complete villages 50-60 km deep inside Arunachal Pradesh.

“Each time the BJP gives a clean chit to China, they make it harder for India to deal with China’s illegal encroachment,” Mr. Ramesh added.