Congress Asks Why Silence Over Doklam During China Visits by Sushma Swaraj, Nirmala Sitharaman

Picture Courtesy : Hindustan Times

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping , the Congress party has alleged that India’s national security and strategic interests had been compromised in Doklam with the Narendra Modi government maintaining a “conspiratorial silence” on it during the China visit.

“Both Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had completely omitted confronting China on creation of full-fledged Chinese military complex in Doklam right upto 10 metres from Indian army post,” Congress communications in – charge Randeep Singh Surjewala told reporters.

He alleged that both omitted confrontation with China over the building of a new road south of Doklam platform to provide easy access to China to Jhamperi Ridge overlooking the Siliguri Corridor, a gateway to North-Eastern states. Surjewala also asked whether Modi would take up the issue in the summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on April 27-28.

Sitharaman and Swaraj had attended the meetings of the defence and foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) which began at Beijing yesterday. The congress leader said he wondered how the Modi government would settle the issue of tri-junction at Doklam in this scenario as it is an all-important issue for Bhutan and India’s strategic interests viz-a-viz the “chicken neck.”

Surjewala said the party hoped that the Modi government would protect national security and strategic interests of the country when he meets the Chinese President. In the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Modi had made several insinuations on Congress and spoken about “red eye” to China, Surjewala said.

On the Modi government’s policy on saving Indian jobs, Surjewala said BJP government had failed Indian immigrants as the US has clamped down on H-4, H1-B and L1 visas. “India’s growth story on the world stage as a tech power is under a cloud as Modi and BJP government flounders and fails India’s young, standing as a mute spectator to the clampdown by US on H4, H1B and L1 Visas for Indians,” he said.

He said the Congress govermment in Karnataka created 15 lakh jobs in five years, while Modi government has snatched jobs of IT professionals. Modi and BJP must answer to India, especially Karnataka IT industry, IT professionals and the young, the reason for “bartering India’s interests and compromising India’s position as tech giant,@ Surjewala said.

“Hugplomacy, trumpeting rhetoric and beating drums, while staying mum is the only delivery by Modi in last years,” he added. An estimated 7.5 lakh Indians may consequently get deported after losing H1B status, Surjewala claimed.