Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, in his latest video blog post on Monday, said he would not lie even “if his whole career goes to hell,” as hiding the truth about China occupying Indian territory was ‘anti-national’.
Mr. Gandhi said his blood boiled “to see another nation come into our territory” and added that he was convinced that the Chinese had occupied Indian territory after “seeing satellite images and talking to ex-Army people”.
“The Chinese have occupied Indian land. Hiding the truth and allowing them to take it is anti-national. Bringing it to people’s attention is patriotic,” Mr. Gandhi tweeted, along with his short video.
“If you want me to lie that the Chinese have not entered this country, I’m not gonna lie. I simply will not do it. I don’t care if my whole career goes to hell. I’m not going to lie. So, frankly, I don’t care if it costs me politically. I don’t care if I have no political career at all after that. But I’m going to say the truth as far as Indian territory is concerned,” he said in his video.
The latest video is a clear attempt by the Congress leader to take on the BJP on its nationalism plank and target Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handling of the India-China face-off on the Ladakh border.
Before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP and Mr. Modi had attacked the Manmohan Singh’s government’s ‘inability’ to deal with China with a strong hand.
However, after the Galwan Valley clashes between Indian and Chinese troops, the Congress has stepped up its attack on the Modi government.
Asked about his questions to the Prime Minister on China ‘weakening’ India, the Congress leader responded, “As an Indian, my number one priority is the nation and its people”.
“I think the people who are lying about Chinese entering our country are the people that are not nationalistic. I think the people who are lying and who are saying the Chinese are not in India, they are the people who are not patriotic,” Mr. Gandhi said.
