Rahul blames BJP for China, Pak bonhomie, govt livid

New Delhi: Union ministers on Wednesday hit out at Rahul Gandhi’s remarks that the Modi government brought China and Pakistan together and on the judiciary and the Election Commission with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar saying he needs some “history lessons” and Law Minister Kiren Rijiju seeking an apology from the Congress leader.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi called Gandhi a “confused and mindless” leader who is all “praise” for China.

Leading the Opposition charge during the debate in the Lok Sabha on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address, Gandhi said the present government’s stand on China and Pakistan worked only to bring the two neighbouring countries together to work against India.

“The single biggest strategic goal of India has been to keep China and Pakistan apart. But what you have done is bring them together. You have committed the single biggest crime you can commit against the people of India…China has a plan.

“The foundation of their (China and Pakistan) plan has been put in place in Doklam and Ladakh. This is a serious threat to India. We have made a huge strategic mistake in J&K and in our foreign policy,” he said.

Gandhi had also accused the government of using the judiciary, the Election Commission, and Pegasus spyware as “instruments of destroying the voice of the union of states”.

“Perhaps, some history lessons are in order: In 1963, Pakistan illegally handed over the Shaksgam valley to China. China built the Karakoram highway through PoK in the 1970s,” Jaishankar tweeted. Jaishankar said from the 1970s, the two countries also had close nuclear collaboration.

“In 2013, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor started. So, ask yourself: were China and Pakistan distant then?” he questioned the Congress leader.  (PTI)