On Rahul Gandhi’s ‘China-Pakistan are closer’ remarks, US says ‘won’t endorse’
A day after Congress president Rahul Gandhi said in his Parliament speech that China and Pakistan are closer because of the policies of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said he “won’t endorse” those remarks.
“I’ll leave it to Pakistanis and PRC to speak to their relationship,” Price further said at a press briefing.
Gandhi’s remarks were slammed by Union ministers, with external affairs minister S Jaishankar saying he needs some “some history lessons”. Jaishankar also said that Pakistan illegally handed over the Shaksgam Valley to China in 1963, when a Congress government was in office.
“Rahul Gandhi alleged in Lok Sabha that it is this Government which brought Pakistan and China together. Perhaps, some history lessons are in order: In 1963,Pakistan illegally handed over the Shaksgam valley to China. China built the Karakoram highway through PoK in the 1970s,” Jaishankar said in a tweet on Wednesday.
Taunting Gandhi over his frequent foreign visits, Jaishankar further said that “those who live in India know we were in the midst of a corona wave” and added that India held a virtual summit with presidents of five central Asian countries.
Jaishankar asked if Rahul Gandhi also missed the India-Central Asia Summit held on January 27.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi called Gandhi a “confused and mindless” leader who is all “praise” for China.
While replying the debate on President Ram Nath Kovind’s address to Parliament, Rahul Gandhi said in his speech on Wednesday that the government has brought China and Pakistan together.
“The Chinese have a very clear vision of what they want to do. The single biggest strategic goal of India’s foreign policy has been to keep Pakistan and China separate. What you have done is, you have brought them together,” he said.
“Do not be under any illusion, do not underestimate the force that is standing in front of you. You have brought Pakistan and China together. This is the single biggest crime that you could commit against the people of India,” he added.