'Jhoola diplomacy', Chinese cash lulled India into complacency: Chidambaram

China "lulled India into complacency by jhoola diplomacy” and money, said senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photo op moment with President Xi Jinping in 2014.

Modi and Xi sat on a traditional swing on the Sabarmati riverfront in Ahmedabad during the Chinese leader's state visit in March 2014.

"My colleague Dr Abhishek Singhvi MP has asked seven pointed questions about Chinese-origin donations to the mysterious and opaque PM-CARES fund. They deserve immediate answers from PM and the PMO India," Chidambaram tweeted.

He added, "PM-CARES fund was set up on 28-03-2020. Chinese-owned companies donated money from that date. Chinese troops began incursions into Ladakh in March-April 2020. Does it require great intelligence to discern China's motives? China lulled India into complacency by Jhoola diplomacy and Chinese money. Was it not an abject failure on the part of the Modi government?"

Earlier today, Singhvi said that the PM-CARES Fund has received donations from Chinese companies which is "alarming for the national security".

"...What is most worrying and alarming for national security is the fact of donations received by Prime Minister Modi from the Chinese Companies in his (seemingly personal) PM CARES Fund. No one knows the constitution or the operational framework of the PM CARES Fund. No one knows how it is controlled or money given to it utilized," Singhvi said in a statement.

Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM -CARES Fund) has been set up following the COVID-19 pandemic in India, to undertake and support relief or assistance of any kind relating to a public health emergency or any other kind of emergency, calamity or distress etc.

Prime Minister is the ex-officio Chairman of the PM-CARES Fund and Minister of Defence, Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Finance, Government of India are ex-officio Trustees of the Fund.

Singhvi alleged that the fund is not even subjected to audit by any public authority including CAG.

"PMO has gone to the extent of saying this Fund is not a public authority. PM CARES Fund is not even subjected to RTI. All in all, the Fund appears to be solely run by the Prime Minister in an opaque and secret fashion with zero transparency and zero accountability," said Singhvi.

"Reports suggest that as on May 20, PM Modi has received Rs 9678 crores in the controversial Fund. The shocking part is that though Chinese forces have transgressed into our territory, Prime Minister has received money in the Fund from Chinese companies," he said.

"A delusional Modi government continues to sidestep the brazen Chinese transgressions and occupation of our territory by the Chinese forces in Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso Lake area, Hot Springs and Depsang Plains upto Y-Junction," Singhvi alleged.