EAM Jaishankar slams Rahul Gandhi for Lok Sabha remark accusing Centre of bringing China, Pakistan together

In his speech, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that the Modi government has brought Pakistan and China together and termed it as the single biggest crime against India. Reacting to this, EAM Dr S Jaishankar on Wednesday hit back at the Congress leader for his remarks in the Lok Sabha.

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Wednesday hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after he came down heavily upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing China and Pakistan together, in his Lok Sabha speech today.

In a sharp reply to the Congress leader’s allegation in the Lok Sabha, EAM Jaishankar said, "In 1963, Pakistan illegally handed over the Shaksgam valley to China. China built the Karakoram highway through PoK in the 1970s. 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?"

In his speech, the Congress leader said that the Modi government has brought Pakistan and China together, terming it a single biggest crime against India.

"The Chinese have a very clear vision of what they want to do. The single biggest strategic goal of India's foreign policy has been to keep Pakistan and China separate. This is fundamental for India and what have you done, you have brought them together," he said.

The Congress leader in his remarks in the Lok Sabha criticized the BJP government on India’s foreign policy and said that the country was completely isolated and surrounded.

"Ask yourselves why you are not able to get a guest on Republic Day. Today India is completely isolated and surrounded. We are surrounded by Sri Lanka, Nepal, Burma, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China. Everywhere we are surrounded. Our opponents understand our position," he said.

Slamming Gandhi over his accusation, Foreign Minister Jaishankar took to Twitter and wrote, "In Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said we could not get a foreign guest for Republic Day. Those who live in India know we were in the midst of a corona wave".

The minister said, "The 5 Central Asian Presidents, who were to come, did hold a virtual summit on Jan 27. Did Rahul Gandhi miss that as well?”.

He also took a dig at the Congress leader’s travel abroad for a personal visit, the last of which was in December 2021.