Cong calls Jaishankar ‘failed’ foreign minister

PTI, Feb 22, 2023, 3:01 PM IST

The Congress on Wednesday hit out at External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, dubbing him as a ”failed” minister and alleging that his remarks on China are demeaning the valour of India’s armed forces and lowering their morale.

Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said by saying that ”we are the smaller economy and China is the bigger economy and we cannot go and pick a fight with them”, Jaishankar has made a ”blasphemous” statement. She also accused the external affairs minister of reducing foreign policy to photo-ops and a chest-thumping exercise, alleging that it is being used to secure contracts for a businessman.

”What exactly does he mean by saying so. Is he telling us that we are not capable of protecting our territorial sovereignty,” she asked, alleging that Jaishankar is a ”failed foreign minister”. ”What he is trying to do by saying this is break and shake the confidence of our Indian Army and demean the valour of our armed forces. This is one of the most blasphemous statements made by any foreign minister,” she told reporters.

On Jaishankar’s remark that he has been the longest-serving Indian Ambassador in China, the Congress said in that capacity will he tell us when will status quo ante be restored as on April 2020.

”Why do the prime minister and you stay quiet on China. Why have we increased the trade deficit to 100 USD with China and we are almost funding the Chinese Army to do the incursions that they do,” she asked.

”As India’s longest serving Ambassador to China what do you have to say on Chinese aggression at the border and what do you have to say about the Supreme sacrifice of Indian soldiers. Is this your answer to the supreme sacrifice of our bravehearts,” she asked. You can keep attacking your political opponents but do not do this at the cost of our national security, she said, noting that ”some things are sacrosanct”.

”Foreign policy is supposed to further the interests of this country. Foreign policy is not supposed to be a tool to manage and allocated projects from foreign countries to one business group – that is Adani,” the Congress leader alleged.