BackBack Congress' Jairam Ramesh hits out at PM Modi over India-China border row comment: 'An insult

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about India's relations with China during an interview with the American magazine Newsweek, Congress veteran Jairam Ramesh on Thursday said the PM's reaction to the China issue is an “insult to the martyrs".

aking to X, Ramesh wrote, "The Prime Minister's reaction on the China issue is not only shameful but also an insult to our martyrs who made the supreme sacrifice while protecting our borders." 

The Congress leader was commenting on the PM's remarks on the India-China border row in 2020, which led to the death of 20 Indian soldiers in a skirmish near the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Seeking an apology from PM Modi, Ramesh said, "The Prime Minister should apologise to 140 crore Indians for his statement on national television on June 19, 2020, 'Neither anyone has entered nor anyone has entered' and for deceiving the country by hiding his failures in protecting the border with China."

The Congress leader alleged that the prime minister crossed all limits of cowardice during the interview. He wrote, "In his interview to the American magazine Newsweek, the Prime Minister crossed all limits of cowardice. China is repeatedly violating India's sovereignty but the Prime Minister's only comment on this was that the long-standing situation on our border needs to be resolved immediately so that the 'aberration' in bilateral talks can be left behind."

Ramesh was of the opinion that PM Modi lost the opportunity to send a strong message to China.

"But his ineffective and weak response is likely to encourage China further to stake its claim on Indian land," he said.

Describing India's rise as "unstoppable", PM Modi said peaceful relations between India and China are important for the region and the world.

"It is my belief that we need to urgently address the prolonged situation on our borders so that the abnormality in our bilateral interactions can be put behind us. Stable and peaceful relations between India and China are important for not just our two countries but the entire region and world," he said.

"I hope and believe that through positive and constructive bilateral engagement at the diplomatic and military levels, we will be able to restore and sustain peace and tranquillity in our borders," Modi added

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