FM hails Didi’s backing PM over China

Nirmala triggers speculation about ‘war’ with her remarks at Bengal ‘virtual’ rally

As the India-China standoff in Ladakh deepens, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday became the first member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet to trigger speculation about a “war” with her comments at a “virtual” political rally.

Referring to the PM Narendra Modi’s all-party meeting on June 19, she asserted that the agenda was “war against China in Ladakh” while she praised West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee for

standing by the Centre amid the ongoing conflict.

Ms Sitharaman told a BJP virtual rally for party workers in West Bengal:

“Desh heet mein jo Bharat Sarkar ne pichhle ek saal achchha karyakram kiya aur usme samarthan nehi dete huye, har ek vishay mein ‘Oppose, Oppose, Oppose’ kar ke aanewale Bengal ke chief minister ke khilaaf main ek vishay unke favour mein bolna chahti. hoon. Unke samarthan mein, unke appreciation mein bolna chahti hoon. (I want to say in favour of the Bengal CM, who has been in the mood to ‘Oppose, Oppose, Oppose’ on every issue instead of supporting the good initiatives of the Government of India for the welfare of the country in the last one year. I want to speak in her support and appreciation.)”

Ms Sitharaman, a former defence minister, said: “Jab Pradhanmantri ji ne Ladakh mein China ke khilaaf us yudh ke vishay mein all-party meeting bulayi, usme kamse kam Didi ne desh heet mein saath dene ki baatein tho kari. Us vishay mein kendra sarkar ka saath bhi diya Didi ne. (That when the PM called the all-party meeting on war against China in Ladakh, Didi at least attended it and talked in favour of her support for the benefit of the nation. I want to say that our Didi spoke about being with the Central government.)”

Her comment soon came after Prime Minister Modi, in his “Mann Ki Baat” address on Sunday, sent a strong message to China over its aggression across the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh.