What message to China: Rahul

NEW DELHI: Two days after the Union Budget presented to Parliament, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday regretted a wrong message going out to China that it won't increase the expenditure on India's defence as the defence budget is nowhere to challenge China busy seizing the Indian territories on the borders.

“You raised it by Rs3-4,000 crore. What message did you give? That you can enter India and do whatever you want, we won't support our defence forces," he told a press conference, dubbing Rs1.35 lakh crore capital budget in the Rs4.78 lakh crore-defence budget to buy new weapons, aircraf t, warships and other military hardware as too little. “What kind of patriotism is it that our army is braving the cold in Ladakh and you are not giving them enough resources. What kind of nationalism is this,” he asked, adding: “How will our soldiers in Ladakh, our Air force pilots feel today?”

Rahul said: “Commitment of our forces is cent-percent and so should be the govt’s commitment. The govt must give whatsoever our army wants, our Air Force wants and our Navy wants."

On the farmers’ issue, he said: “Delhi is surrounded by farmers today. They give us sustenance, they work for us. Why is Delhi being converted into a fortress? Are farmers your enemies? Why is the govt threatening, beating and killing our farmers? Why is the govt not talking to our farmers, resolving this.”