New Delhi: Interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi held a video interaction with the party’s 41 Rajya Sabha MPs Thursday, where she emphasised the need to “corner” the Narendra Modi government on the China issue, ThePrint has learnt.
According to Congress leaders privy to the interaction, Sonia said this can be done by “reminding people of India’s foreign relations during the UPA era”.
“India has totally deviated from its traditional foreign policy in the last 6 years, all our neighbours have turned hostile,” a Congress leader who attended the meeting said.
“So, it was decided that once the Parliament session begins, we need to start cornering the government by talking about the good relations India shared with China and other border nations,” the leader added.
India has been involved in a stand-off with China at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh since the first week of May. On 15 June, the tensions led to the deadliest India-China clash in decades as 20 Indian soldiers and an unconfirmed number of Chinese troops died in a skirmish at Galwan Valley.
The two sides began disengagement efforts at the border earlier this month, but the process is said to be proceeding at a slow pace.
Sonia Gandhi had held a similar interaction with the Congress’ Lok Sabha MPs on 11 July, where she had asked the leaders to push for a Parliament session so the LAC issue can be discussed.
While no date for the Monsoon session been confirmed yet, the session is likely to be held in the first week of September.
Also Read: Modi’s chest-thumping ministers, and not Congress, are an irritant in dealing with China
‘Take press conferences out of Delhi’
At Thursday’s interaction, Sonia Gandhi also discussed the ongoing crisis in the Rajasthan Congress precipitated by a rebellion mounted by sacked deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and 18 other MLAs.
Sonia, sources said, asked party leaders to take the issue to different states and project it as an “overall democratic crisis”.
“Elections are the foundation of a democracy, and once elected governments are brought down, it is effectively akin to subverting democracy. The urgency of this needs to be communicated to the people,” another leader who attended the video conference said.
“She said this isn’t just a Delhi or Rajasthan issue, but a greater national issue. So, just holding a press conference in Delhi wouldn’t help. State units need to make this a talking point everywhere,” the leader added.
Other issues raised by the Congress president included the coronavirus situation, and how states are tackling it. “Corona and China continue to be the two big issues, so they were discussed at length,” a third leader present at the meeting said.
Former PM Manmohan Singh and former finance minister P. Chidambaram also addressed the MPs. “All the important points have been jotted down. Now, we are just waiting for the Parliament session to begin,” the leader added.
Also Read: How to be responsible opposition amid China row? Congress can learn from 1960s’ Jana Sangh
UPA government was afraid of China and didn’t aggressively build infrastructure near boarder and that resulted in slow movement of troops and machinery while chini amassed huge force in LAC. Treachery is in the blood of congress and it’s leaders. They are the Advocates of chinis.
Funny. Foreign policy is an extention of domestic policy. Best example. Bengla Desh turned hostile to India.
Does Sonia Gandhi want repetition of Fiasco of 1962 ? Please some enlightened leader of Congress party , if allowed to speak or dare to speak , tell her India of 2020 is not that weak as was kept weak in 1962. China has to face a resurgent India in 2020 led by a Modi Ji and Indian armed forces ready to wipe out the black spot of 1962 .
Has Sonia lost her marbles totally?
It is the failed, miserably on top of that, what India is suffering from now. Right from 1947 to 2014, one blunder after another has hurt this nation to no end.
Congress mukt Bharat is the only solution to save this country from Congress’s depredations.
It is Cngress mukt since 2014. What has Modi done. Still harping on Congress and Motilal Nehru.No sense of shame Sanghi
Idiot rice bag.
”Elections are the foundation of a democracy” But she does not allow election in her own party. Her son, the eternal duffer, is the president as she dreams of her son being the PM.
A woman who has never passed her school exam, lectures about the foreign policy. She is getting restless as for a long time, she cannot loot the country. Her chaprashis, read her children and other minions, are also getting restless.
A man who has dubious academic degrees is the prime minister.Shame
So, you want your MPs remind the people that you took money from China and sold India to China during your regime?
Does this mean that the Congress and the opposition has run out on domestic issues?
For India’s sake and for the sake of democracy, I fervently hope that the opposition wakes up, addresses real issues in a studied manner to keep the country on track for growth…..
One way to do that is – be selective – give the Governments (All States and Centre) for good done and fault them for prejudiced and wrong policies.