A day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi spoke in the lower house, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government of bringing China and Pakistan closer together, former foreign minister K Natwar Singh said on Thursday that Gandhi’s remarks were “no Totally accurate.
“I am surprised that no one on the government side has stood up to remind Rahul Gandhi that what he said is not entirely accurate. China and Pakistan have been close allies since the 1960s. It started in the days of his great grandfather, He referred the Kashmir issue to the United Nations,” news agency ANI quoted Singh as saying, referring to the country’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.
Former diplomat Kanwal Sibal, brother of Congress leader Kapil Sibal, also said the China-Pakistan alliance started “long before” the BJP came to power. “After the 1962 conflict, China and Pakistan saw an opportunity to strengthen relations. Everyone knew that the two had illegal cooperation in the nuclear field,” Sibal said.
Gandhi made the remarks during a speech in the House of Commons on Wednesday, where he answered a debate on President Ram Nath Kovind’s January 31 address to Parliament, which marked the start of the ongoing budget session.
“The Chinese have a very clear vision of what they want to do. One of the biggest strategic goals of Indian foreign policy is to separate Pakistan from China. What you do is, you bring them together,” said Ward, Kerala Yanard’s MP said.
The former Congress president also warned the government against any illusions. “Don’t underestimate the power standing in front of you. You have brought Pakistan and China together. This is the greatest crime you can commit against the Indian people,” he said.
Unsurprisingly, the speech drew a backlash from ministers and BJP leaders, but the US also responded by saying it “would not support” such remarks.
Complete News Source : Hindustan Times
