Misplaced 'muscularity' on Katchatheevu but scared to even utter the word 'China': Congress taunts Centre

The Modi government has 'consistently and continuously shown a weak-kneed approach' towards China, Congress MP Manish Tewari said even after about four years of Galwan intrusion, it is yet to come out with any response and clarification.

New Delhi: Returning fire after BJP raked up the Kachchatheevu issue, the Congress on Tuesday targeted the Narendra Modi government over its 'meek' response to China renaming 30 places in Arunachal Pradesh.

Addressing a press conference, senior Congress MP Manish Tewari said it is "sad and regrettable" that those who have been espousing 'misplaced muscularity' about Kachchatheevu are "scared of even uttering the word China".

Referring to the BJP campaign on Kachchatheevu issue, he said it is ridiculous to imagine that the Prime Minister (Indira Gandhi) who changed the geography of South Asia would give any territorial concessions to any other country.

His comments came as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar sought to play down the Chinese action saying that by putting some nameplate in front of someone's property would not mean ownership of that place.

"The strange statement of Jaishankar only shows the weakness of the government. Such a weak and meek response from the External Affairs Minister over China’s cartographic aggression does not behove the government of India," he said.

Claiming that the Modi government has "consistently and continuously shown a weak-kneed approach" towards China, he said even after about four years of Galwan intrusion, it is yet to come out with any response and clarification.

Referring to a research paper by an IPS officer posted in Leh in January 2023 that said about India not having access to 26 of 65 joint patrolling posts, he said, "one and a half years have passed and the government has not reacted about what a senior officer of the government revealed."

Despite the opposition raising the matter on several occasions in Parliament, he said neither the Prime Minister nor the External Affairs Minister "uttered a single word" about Chinese intrusion.

Asking the BJP "not to bring national security into the realms of partisan politics", he said “deflections and distortions won’t work” and the government will have to tell the country as how much land of India is under the control of China since May 2020 and why the government did not get it vacated.

Asked whether the voters will be swayed by the BJP campaign on Kachchatheevu, he said the electorate are wise and they understand that this issue has come up only during the election season. "This is to deflect the gross failure, which is getting the territory under illegal occupation of China vacated."