Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on India’s foreign service at the ‘Ideas for India’ conference have kicked up a row with the central government slamming it as “anti-India” but the Congress came down heavily on External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for his criticism of Gandhi.
In the interactive session, Gandhi said, “I was talking to some bureaucrats from Europe and they were saying that the Indian foreign service completely changed, they do not listen to anything. They are arrogant… There is no conversation,” he said.
Reacting sharply to it, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that the change in the Indian Foreign Service is a reflection of confidence. “Yes, the Indian Foreign Service has changed. Yes, they follow the orders of the Government. Yes, they counter the arguments of others. No, it’s not called Arrogance. It is called Confidence. And it is called ``defending National Interest”.
Hitting back, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala sarcastically said, “Yes, it is also called being subservient to the political masters in face of foreign policy bloopers. Yes, it is called not being able to stand up to China in face of illegal occupation of our territory. Yes, it is called furthering the agenda of a party rather than the Nation.”
Going hammer and tongs against Gandhi, Union Minister Gajendra Shekhawat said, “Rahul Gandhi's anti-India stance each time he opens his mouth in a foreign land is deplorable. This dynast now has issues that diplomats work for a democratically elected govt.”
(Published 21 May 2022, 15:08 IST)
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