New Delhi: The Congress Monday opened a new front in its criticism of PM Narendra Modi over his handling of the India-China tensions, with its Chhattisgarh unit addressing him as “Chinese” as part of a seemingly concerted Twitter campaign.
The official Twitter account of the Chhattisgarh Congress started a campaign called #ChaukidarChineseHai, and tweeted and retweeted a number of posts using the same hashtag. The hashtag is a derivation of the Congress’ “ChowkidarChorHai” campaign, which was used in light of the Rafale controversy to counter the PM’s description of himself as a “chowkidar (security guard)” against corruption ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
— INC Chhattisgarh (@INCChhattisgarh) June 22, 2020
The Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Sevadal, a unit of the party, made a similar post in Hindi. [Translation: (They) got Sardar Patel’s statue built in China, and became the brand ambassador of Paytm, they sit on a swing with the Chinese president, the contract for roads and tunnel is given to Chinese company and (the PM) visited China nine times, because #ChaukidarChineseHai].
?सरदार पटेल की मूर्ति चीन में बनवाते हैं
?payTm के ब्रांड अम्बेसडर बनते हैं
?चीनी राष्ट्रपति को झूला झूलते हैं
?सड़क/टनल का ठेका चीनी कम्पनी को देते हैं
?9 बार चीन घूमते हैं
क्योंकि-
#ChaukidarChineseHai— Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Sevadal (@SevadalCG) June 22, 2020
Former MLA Chunni Lal Sahu tweeted: “A friend of the Chinese is a traitor for the nation. #ChaukidarChineseHai.”
जो चाइना का यार है
वो देश का गद्दार है।#ChaukidarChineseHai— Chunni Lal Sahu (@Chunni_lal_sahu) June 22, 2020
The Twitter handle of the Chhattisgarh Congress again used the hashtag as it retweeted a post by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in which he shared a news report referring to Chinese media’s praise for Modi.
Because #ChaukidarChineseHai https://t.co/3xS6sYwWEG
— INC Chhattisgarh (@INCChhattisgarh) June 22, 2020
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‘Chowkidaar chor hai’
In the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections of 2019, the Congress had led a campaign under the slogan “Chowkidar chor hai” to allege corruption in the Rafale deal signed by the Modi government with France.
The latest hashtag campaign came in light of relentless criticism from the Congress for what it describes as Modi’s inept handling of the India-China stand-off in Ladakh, which led to the death of 20 soldiers last week.
On Sunday, Rahul had questioned the government for “surrendering” territory to China. The BJP hit back by calling him “traitor Gandhi”, among other things.
On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s predecessor Manmohan Singh said the Chinese have been “brazenly and illegally seeking to claim parts of Indian territory such as the Galwan Valley and the Pangong Tso by committing ‘multiple incursions between April 2020 till date’”. Modi, he added, cannot allow them to use his words as a “vindication of their position”.
“Disinformation is no substitute for diplomacy or decisive leadership. Truth cannot be suppressed by having pliant allies spout comforting but false statements,” Singh said in an apparent reference to Modi’s “no intruder in Indian territory” claim at the all-party meeting on 19 June.
Modi’s statement was panned before the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) issued a clarification that alleged his remarks had been given a “mischievous interpretation”.
The BJP was quick to react, with party president J.P. Nadda posting a series of tweets criticising Manmohan Singh and the Congress for “insulting” the Indian forces and questioning their valour.
Dear Dr. Singh and Congress Party,
Please stop insulting our forces repeatedly, questioning their valour. You did this post the air strikes and surgical strikes.
Please understand the true meaning of national unity, especially in such times.
It’s never too late to improve.
— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) June 22, 2020
Dr. Manmohan Singh belongs to the same party which:
Helplessly surrendered over 43,000 KM of Indian territory to the Chinese!
During the UPA years saw abject strategic and territorial surrender without a fight.
Time and again belittles our forces.
— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) June 22, 2020
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The coal mines are being handed over to corporates to ensure professional management of INDIA’s mineral wealth by MODIJI’s government. Surely the mafia and politicians network will be hit by that. So is it surprising congrass is angry.
Reality is:
Congress = China virus
ChoukidarChineseHai is surely a funny line, but at a very sad time.
I am truly, deeply saddened at the WAY our dear soldiers were killed. By lynching!! These Hindutva guys should develop some remorse at least now. This is what they have been doing to our own citizens, and they always thought they were doing something brave. Cowards! Cowards like the Pakistani, and now also Chinese soldiers.
Congress party thinks that this type of slogan will help them but they are not understanding the mood of the people. When the country is fighting the corona epidemic of Chinese origin and is passing through lockdown, China has done border intrusion deliberately. Who are Hindutva guys? What is their fault? You are protecting China’s sin by blaming unknown Hindutva guys but you can’t mislead people now.