Cong criticises govt’s ‘doublespeak’ on China

NEWDELHI: The Congress on Tuesday said the government’s “uncertain foreign policy and continuous denials and doublespeak on the Chinese misadventure in Doklam” were harming India’s strategic interests.

The main opposition party also sought a reply from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the backdrop of the Chinese military reportedly moving closer to the “Chicken’s Neck” — the Siliguri corridor that connects India’s northeastern states with the rest of the country -- through Doklam by building a new road.

“Modi may have forgotten his false bravado of ‘56-inch chest’ and ‘Laal Aankh’ (red eye) but, for four years, the people of India are waiting for his ‘tackle China plan’,” Congress spokesperson RPN Singh said.

He said India was increasingly facing Chinese moves to intrude into the Chicken’s Neck but the “clueless Modi government has been caught napping”.

“Mere lip service is no response,” he said.

“The BJP is utterly consumed in managing headlines for domestic expansion.”

The Congress also attacked the government on the reports of repeated intrusions of the Chinese military helicopters into Indian airspace at Barahoti in Uttarakhand.

“Has the Modi government taken note of these incursions? Why have such intrusions become a routine affair?” asked Singh.

He said the Congress would always press for disengagement of conflict at Doklam between India-China-Bhutan through diplomatic means and to the satisfaction of all sides.

“We always believe that the Doklam issue should be sorted out by conversation, persuasion, and diplomacy in the first instance in the interest of all the three countries --- India, China and Bhutan,” Singh said.