India News | BJP Says It's No Longer India of 1962, Asks Rahul to Not Raise Questions on Twitter over Border Standoff
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. It is no longer the India of 1962 and the country is led by a "courageous" leader like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, not by the Congress, the BJP asserted on Wednesday, hitting back at the opposition party for its attack on the government over the Sino-India border standoff.
New Delhi, Jun 10 (PTI) It is no longer the India of 1962 and the country is led by a "courageous" leader like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, not by the Congress, the BJP asserted on Wednesday, hitting back at the opposition party for its attack on the government over the Sino-India border standoff.
BJP leader and Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for raising questions about the border situation, saying he should have at least this much understanding as to not raise queries on Twitter about strategic issues involving China.
He is the same leader, Prasad said in a statement, who had raised "questions" on Indian surgical and air strikes inside Pakistan, and is now raising questions over the issue involving China.
Speaking earlier at a 'virtual rally' for Himachal Pradesh, the Union minister said when India works to become self-reliant, it will also do so in matters of security and referred to the surgical and air strikes targeting terrorists inside Pakistan during the first term of the Modi government.
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"We (India) want disputes to be resolved peacefully. We will say one thing very humbly that today India is the India of 2020 and not 1962. Today's India is of a courageous leader like Narendra Modi and not of Congress leaders.
"This must be understood," he said, without making any direct comment on the standoff.
China had defeated India in the 1962 war. The Congress was in power then.
Taking potshots at Rahul Gandhi, the BJP leader said that how much the Congress leader understands the country's economic policy or strategic affairs is a matter of debate.
Prasad asked if it is proper for Gandhi to raise such questions openly about crucial matters related to external affairs.
Targeting the Congress, he said when the matter involving China is discussed, then the party's handling of the country, a reference to 1962, will also be debated.
Indian and Chinese armies are involved in a standoff at the Ladakah border with both countries trying to resolve the matter through military and diplomatic channels.
Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that China has taken away India's territory in Ladakh and questioned the prime minister's silence on the issue, saying he has vanished.
"The Chinese have walked in and taken our territory in Ladakh. Meanwhile. The PM is absolutely silent and has vanished from the scene," he said on Twitter.
In his statement, Prasad also addressed Congress president Sonia Gandhi and said while she speaks against any "BJP versus Congress" squabble at this time of crisis, it is Rahul Gandhi who has been doing so when the nation needs to speak in one voice.
"We do not run away from 'BJP versus Congress'. Let elections come and we will do it. As of now the Congress should honestly endeavour to help the nation," he said, targeting the opposition party for its "negative politics".
With the Congress often highlighting MNREGA, on which the central government has leant to provide employment to rural population, as its achievement, the BJP leader said it was marred by "scams" during the Congress rule, while money has now been reaching beneficiaries without any leakage.
About 21.4 per cent people benefited from it when the Congress-led UPA was in power, it is now 67.7 per cent, he said.
Taking a swipe at the Congress president, Prasad said while she talked about the UPA government's achievements, she should have at least made a mention of former prime minister Manmohan Singh.
"But she does not want to give credit to anybody outside the Gandhi family," he said.
The Congress president had recently written for some leading newspapers to articulate her party's position as the nation fights the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic hardships caused by it.
Prasad said on the one hand Rahul Gandhi questions as to what benefits the nationwide lockdown yielded, on the other hand chief ministers of his party have continued with lockdown in states like Punjab and Rajasthan.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)