New Delhi: The death of 20 Indian soldiers in a face-off with the Chinese army in eastern Ladakh has brought out what has always been an open secret: That the Congress and the BJP’s stands on border transgressions by the Chinese depend on whether they are in power or out of it.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday issued a stern warning to China, saying the sacrifice of the soldiers “will not go in vain” and India wants peace but it is “capable to give a befitting reply if provoked”.
The PM’s statement followed strong criticism from the Congress over his “silence” on the border stand-off and their demands for an explanation about the Chinese intrusions. The same Congress was, however, singing a different tune when India and China had a three-week-long stand-off at Depsang in eastern Ladakh in 2013 during the UPA tenure. But that holds equally true for BJP leaders, too.
Modi, the chief minister of Gujarat then, and other BJP leaders had taken a combative position against the then UPA regime when, in April 2013, Chinese forces crossed into Indian territory and pitched their tents to assert control over the Depsang plain in eastern Ladakh. The stand-off had created military and diplomatic tensions but was resolved after a heavy round of negotiations, following which the Chinese troops withdrew.
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‘Silently watching’
In August 2013, months after the Depsang incident was resolved, Modi had hit out at the Congress for “silently watching” as the Chinese entered Indian territory.
Today security of the nation is under threat. What did China do? They enter our borders and we silently watch: Narendra Modi
— narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) August 15, 2013
India is going through a troubled situation. China intrudes our borders, Pakistan kills our soldiers time & again but Centre doesn’t act!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 11, 2013
From China's intrusions to Pakistan's ambushes- UPA Government has been absolutely lax in securing Indian borders. When will Centre wake up?
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 6, 2013
A noble nation like ours is being troubled by our neighbours while the Centre stands helplessly. We need a strong government to change this.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 8, 2014
In May 2013, he had put out a tweet questioning India’s decision to retreat from the stand-off area after the dispute had been resolved.
China withdraws its forces but I wonder why Indian forces are withdrawing from Indian territory? Why did we retreat? : @narendramodi
— narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) May 13, 2013
At his first rally as the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate in September 2013, Modi had again questioned those in power in Delhi. “Even China has started challenging us on our borders. This is not because our soldiers are weak, but because of problems in Delhi. We need to change the government at Delhi,” he had said.
These statements have begun doing the rounds again now that it’s the BJP in power and the Chinese are up to their tricks again.
Congress working president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who were silent during the Depsang episode, are aggressively demanding answers from PM Modi.
Rahul Gandhi, for one, has questioned why the PM is “silent”.
Why is the PM silent?
Why is he hiding?Enough is enough. We need to know what has happened.
How dare China kill our soldiers?
How dare they take our land?
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 17, 2020
He has also hit out at Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s tweet extending condolences to the family of the soldiers killed, questioning its language and timing.
If it was so painful:
1. Why insult Indian Army by not naming China in your tweet?
2. Why take 2 days to condole?
3. Why address rallies as soldiers were being martyred?
4. Why hide and get the Army blamed by the crony media?
5. Why make paid-media blame Army instead of GOI? https://t.co/mpLpMRxwS7
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 17, 2020
Congress president Sonia Gandhi, meanwhile, has asked PM Modi to brief the nation on the situation at the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
“Today when in India there is great anguish, the Prime Minister should come forward and explain to the nation how China was able to capture India’s soil and why 20 Indian soldiers were martyred,” she said in a video message issued Wednesday.
Back in 2013, however, the Congress was seen as trying to play down the gravity of the situation. The then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had termed the incursion by the Chinese troops as a “localised problem”.
He had also maintained that India does not want to “accentuate” the situation.
The then external affairs minister Salman Khurshid had described the dispute as “acne” that could be addressed “by simply applying an ointment”.
“One little spot is acne, which cannot force you to say that this is not a beautiful face… that acne can be addressed by simply applying an ointment,” he had said.
The then foreign ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin had stated that “diplomacy requires time and space”.
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‘Doing nothing’
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, too, had hit out at the then Congress-led government in 2013, saying they were “doing nothing” even as the Chinese had a “picnic inside our territory”.
Whenever the Chinese soldiers want,they come and have picnic inside our territory and our government could do nothinghttp://t.co/5wu63CSVMO
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) April 25, 2014
Shah was then yet to assume charge as BJP president, a position he served for six years from 2014 to 2020.
At a rally in 2013, senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh said the ruling government didn’t care about the respect and honour of the country as they had done nothing to counter the Chinese.
“Cheen hamare desh ki dharti mei ghus aaye, mahino tak jamein rahe, usko javab dene ki himmat nahi hui. Haath par haath dhare yeh baithe rahe, bharat ki maan samman swabhiman ki chinta nahi hai,” Singh had said.
Singh had also hit out at the then Prime Minister, saying he didn’t have courage. He also sought to urge the Congress to give a free hand to the Army.
“Aapke kaleje mein dam nahi, hamare sena ke javaano ka ek baar khula haath chodh do, dekho woh kaisa karishma karte hain,” Singh had said.
Seven years later, as Defence Minister himself, Singh has maintained that the issue can be resolved diplomatically via talks and that details of the standoff would be revealed at an “appropriate time”.
Changing tunes
In a tweet Wednesday, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya said that “there is no intrusion or occupation of Indian territory”, and that “China is unnerved by the massive ramp-up in critical infra on the Indian side”.
This is one of the best explainer on what is happening in the Galwan region with detailed maps. Two important points:
1. There is no intrusion or occupation of Indian territory
2. China is unnerved by the massive ramp up in critical infra on the Indian side
Rest is all humbug. https://t.co/L2Moy0Yomh
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) June 17, 2020
Back in 2013, though, Malviya had asked the Prime Minister’s Office to “wake up” to the Chinese intrusion.
Times Now is now reporting Chinese intrusion in Ladhak ! Hello @PMOIndia you may want to wake up. Thanks
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) April 19, 2013
Meanwhile, Tejasvi Surya, now a BJP MP, questioned the “manliness” of Congress leader Salman Khurshid in a 2014 tweet that referred to the Chinese incursion.
#SalmanKhurshid, where had your manliness gone, when China came 19 kms into Indian territory?
— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) February 26, 2014
Also Read: Time for Modi to take political stand on China. Military talks won’t deter the bully
I do not know much of politics so please forgive me if you find my concerns naïve. I do understand that the current menaces over border conflicts were due from our neighbour in the north since Oct 2019 when Ladakh was declared union territory and, as Mr. Gupta already mentioned in one of his “Cut the clutter” episodes, they were expected to annoy India soon after the winter gets over. Is it possible that these disturbances on the border are created to distract the government from certain other issues and keep them occupied? If it is true then what can those issues be? Also, is it possible that their investments in the funds of our big political parties impair the response from the Indian government?
What do you expect from an anti national Muslim commentator?
Only those who are in charge will know how much the burden of government is. Others will not know the hardships. But as an observer, we talk big.
Nicely Done… Pointing out the hypocrisy of our damn political parties. This exactly why we are not a successful nation. There is really no consensus or strategy when it comes to foreign policy. They always try to score political points. Childish and immature.
At least have some shame Fatima, 20 soldiers have been martyred. Though they fought bravely, it shame people want to play politics on their death.
It becomes clear who are the paid China voices in Indian media. These are the termites – Congress Party & The Print.
The vultures of proselytizers are out to attack BJP AND pro INDIA FORCES as they see their anti HINDU STANCE might get a Phillip with aggression from both china and pakistan . Rest assured that HINDUS will WIN against all your nefarious design.