New Delhi: Leader of opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday (April 3) raised the US government’s move to impose tariffs on India and asked what the government’s response will be along with what the Bharatiya Janata Party-led (BJP-led) government plans to do about Chinese encroachments in the country.
Speaking during the zero hour in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi said that he was “shocked” to see the foreign secretary cutting a cake with the Chinese ambassador when it is a “known fact” that China is “sitting on” on 4,000 sq km of Indian territory.
“The question is what exactly is happening to this territory. Our brave jawans were martyred and their martyrdom was being celebrated,” he said referring to the Galwan valley clash in 2020. Gandhi said that the opposition is not against normalcy but the first priority should be to bring back the status quo.
“We should get our land back. It has also come to my notice that the prime minister and the president have written to the Chinese. We are not finding this out from our own people but it is the Chinese ambassador who is informing us about this,” he said.
Also read: Trump’s Trade War Will Disproportionately Hit Developing Nations
Earlier this week, in a sign of improving ties between India and China the Chinese leadership exchanged messages – Chinese president Xi Jinping with President Droupadi Murmu and Chinese Premier Li Qiang with Prime Minister Narendra Modi – while marking 75 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
“Foreign policy is about managing external relations. You have given China 4,000 square kilometers of land. On the other side, our ally [US] has suddenly decided to impose a 26 per cent tariff, which will completely devastate our economy. Our auto industry, pharmaceutical industry, and agriculture are all in line,” he said.
On April 2, US President Donald Trump announced 26% reciprocal tariffs on India calling Indian tariffs “very very high”.
Gandhi referred to former prime minister Indira Gandhi who when asked about whether she leans left or right said that she stands straight.
“The BJP and RSS have a different philosophy. When asked do you lean right or left, they bow their heads to every foreigner that comes. This is something that is in their culture, history,” he said.
“However, we would like an answer from the government about what are you doing about our land, and what are you going to do about the tariff that our ally has imposed on us?” Gandhi asked.
