Chinese party officials meet RSS leaders, Congress takes swipe at BJP

Sources said the Chinese delegation held a one-hour-long meeting with RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale and his team. “They were curious about the organisation and its functioning. We gave them details of our 100-year journey, our work in society and our vision,” an RSS functionary said.

The interaction assumes significance given the limited engagement between the RSS and Chinese representatives in recent years. During Bhagwat’s lecture series last August, the RSS had avoided inviting Chinese diplomats even as representatives of several other countries were present. In CPC delegation’s interaction with BJP on Monday, discussions were focused on advancing inter-party com­mun­ication. According to party sources, BJP leaders “with a significant interface to the RSS” were also part of the exercise.

This is perhaps the first such interaction between the BJP and the CPC since the saffron party came to power in 2014, insiders said. The last similar engagement took place in 2009 when Nitin Gadkari headed the BJP. Gadkari had also visited China in 2011 for a similar interaction.

BJP leaders confirmed Monday’s meeting on social media. “Under the leadership of H.E. Ms. Sun Haiyan, (Vice Minister, IDCPC) visited BJP head office today,” BJP foreign affairs department in-charge Vijay Chauthaiwale posted on X.

“During the discussion, a BJP delegation headed by party Gen Secy Shri Arun Singh Ji discussed at length the means to advance inter-party communications between BJP and CPC. Chinese Ambassador to India H.E. Xu Feihong also joined the delegation,” he added.

In a separate post, BJP national secretary Arun Singh said, “Ms Sun Haiyan, Vice Minister, International Dept of Communist Party of China (IDCPC) visited today BJP head office. During the meeting we discussed how to enhance communication and interaction between BJP and CPC.”

The outreach prompted a sharp response from Congress, which has faced criticism from the BJP in the past over its own engagements with the CPC.

After AICC foreign affairs department chief Salman Khurshid met the CPC delegation led by Sun Haiyan on Tuesday, the Congress accused the BJP of hypocrisy. At a press conference, senior leader Pawan Khera described the meeting (with the BJP) as a “meek surrender”.

“A meek surrender. That is the most appropriate phrase for the BJP’s policy towards China. Modi Govt’s hypocrisy in its dealings with China has mud­dled India’s foreign policy,” said Khera, who heads the party’s media and publicity department. He alleged that the BJP’s “laal aankh” claims had turned into “laal salaams” to the CPC, and cited the Galwan clash, Chinese backing of Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, and alleged inconsistencies on Chinese apps and funding as examples.

“BJP has a habit of questioning Congress about meeting CPC members and Chinese officials… but the moot question should be what actually transpired in their own meetings with Chinese officials and CPC?” Khera said in a statement.

BJP national spokesperson Tuhin Sinha said the meetings reflected improving ties between India and China. “Formal meetings take place when the situation gets better and this was the process of such a formal meeting,” he said, adding that compared to a year ago, “the situation is now better”. “Our people should not be compared with Rahul Gandhi. After what he has done, he does not have the right to question our foreign policy.