China takes up land, ally US impose tariffs: Rahul Gandhi slams govt in LS

Rahul Gandhi claimed that the recently announced US tariffs is going to 'completely devastate' the Indian economy, particularly sectors like the auto industry, pharmaceuticals and agriculture

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Thursday slammed the government in the Lok Sabha, claiming that China had taken over 4,000 square kilometres of Indian territory and that the United States' reciprocal tariffs would "completely devastate" the Indian economy.

 

China sitting on 4,000 sq km of our land: Rahul Gandhi

 

During his address to the lower house, Gandhi said "China is sitting on 4,000 square kilometres of our territory. I was shocked some time back to see that our foreign secretary (Vikram Misri) was cutting a cake with the Chinese ambassador. The question is -- what exactly is happening to this territory of 4,000 sq km that China has taken?"

 

 

He was referring to the celebration of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between India and China.

 

He went on to talk about the 2020 Galwan dispute between India and China where 20 Indian soldiers were martyred, stating, "There is a celebration taking place over their martyrdom by cutting a cake."

 

"We are not against normalcy but there should be a status quo before that. We should get our land back," Gandhi added.

 

Rahul Gandhi slams govt on Trump tariffs

 

He also spoke about the recently imposed US reciprocal tariffs claiming that it is going to "completely devastate" the Indian economy, particularly sectors like the auto industry, pharmaceuticals and agriculture.

 

Further talking about India's foreign policy, Gandhi demanded answers from the government about how it is dealing with China and what is doing about the tariffs that "our ally has imposed on us".

 

"Somebody once asked Indira Gandhi ji-- 'In the matter of foreign policy you lean left or you lean right', and Indira Gandhi ji answered 'I don't lean left or right, I stand straight. I am Indian and I stand straight," he said, adding, "The BJP and the RSS have a different philosophy, when they are asked whether they lean left or the right, they say 'no, no, no, we bow our head in front of every foreigner that comes in front of us..."

 

Not an inch with China: Anurag Thakur retorts

 

In an attempt to discredit Gandhi's claims, BJP MP Anurag Thakur said that not a "single inch" of Indian land had been taken by China.

 

"Whose government was in power when India's land went to China? They kept saying 'Hindi-Chini bhai bhai' (Indians and Chinese are brothers), but China stabbed us in the back. During the Doklam incident, which leaders were busy sipping Chinese soup with Chinese officials? Those leaders did not stand with our soldiers. Why did the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation take money from Chinese officials?" Thakur said, as quoted by India Today.