Kharge Questions Govt on China Clashes, Trade Gap and Diplomacy

New Delhi, October 23: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has launched a sharp attack on the Centre over its China policy. He has called for an end to clean chits to Beijing and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take the country into confidence.

Kharge posted on X that the time for giving clean chits to China was over. He said the Prime Minister must place the truth before India.

He framed his criticism around three areas: national security, economic security and diplomatic accountability.

On security, Kharge expressed deep concern over the confirmation by the Director General of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police that clashes with the People's Liberation Army were continuing in Arunachal Pradesh. Recalling the Doklam and Galwan standoffs, he asked whether a fresh and serious confrontation was emerging. He referred to August reports of Chinese intrusions near Takshing and said that the tensions had not ended 47 days after corps commander-level talks at Wacha-Damai, a spot only 180 km away.

He asked whether India's patrolling access had been compromised. Kharge stated firmly that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India and questioned why such a vital matter was being withheld from the nation.

On the economic front, he noted that Chinese imports in India had grown by 102 per cent since the Galwan clash in FY 2020-21, while the bilateral trade deficit had jumped 155 per cent to $112.16 billion. He reminded readers that 20 Indian soldiers had been martyred at Galwan. He also cited Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's admission that China was still obstructing Indian exports.

Kharge alleged that the government was loosening restrictions on Chinese investment and weighing Production Linked Incentive benefits for eligible Chinese-linked businesses. He asked whether the 'Make in India' vision had turned into dependence on Chinese imports.

On diplomacy, he pointed to a dense calendar of engagements. These included at least 23 meetings and talks between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping, 25 rounds of Special Representatives talks involving NSA Ajit Doval, 36 meetings of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination, and continued SCO and BRICS summits. He asked what concrete results these exchanges had produced and whether India's patrolling rights, as they existed before May 2020, were fully restored.

Kharge expressed full confidence in the armed forces. He said real accountability, not diplomatic theatre or so-called 'hugplomacy', is necessary for national security.

He urged the Prime Minister to stop attacking the opposition and instead lay all facts before Parliament and the people.