Rahul Gandhi to Centre: Hiding behind Army is ‘cowardice’, tell us what happened on border

“There is no one in the BJP’s top leadership who understands that. It is neither good nor bad. But that is the reality. In their family…neither their grandmother nor their father had been martyred. So I know… when the Army is used for political gains and our soldiers and their families have to bear the brunt… I am very clear…I don’t want to do that… It is sacrosanct for me. I know the hardships faced by our soldiers…I love them,” he said.

At the same time, he said the government was not working strategically. “Our government has mishandled the China issue…What is the aim of our foreign policy?…That China and Pakistan should never be together. That was our central concept. And we have done it very successfully till UPA II. Today, Pakistan and China have come together. It is not a simple issue. It is very deep. It is a dangerous thing. Why it has happened is because our government has mishandled our foreign policy and they did not understand the broad structure of the foreign policy,” he said.

“They have come together…and there is a risk. And they will do something somewhere. They took the first step in Doklam and the second step in Ladakh. I believe it was a preparation. If nothing happens…well and good. but I think they are preparing. And I am telling the government that it is not if, it is when. Now you have to do the preparation,” Gandhi said addressing a press conference at the Congress headquarters.

He asked the government to listen to the armed forces while making preparations to face the Chinese threat.

“Listen to the forces–Army, the Air Force and the Navy…whatever structures we have. You have to listen to them and respect them, which means that you have to stop their political use immediately. Secondly, the precautions that we have to take—military precautions and non-military precautions you start taking. Thirdly, don’t hide what is happening at the border. Because it is sending a message to China. China has taken away 2,000 square kilometres of our land. The prime minister had said nobody had intruded into our territory. If I enter your house… and you tell me that you have not come…then what message will I take. So this message is going to them,” he said.

“So we have to clearly say that you have intruded…say it publicly and tell them to vacate….This government is in a state of confusion. This confusion has to end,” he added.

Referring to the BJP’s attack, he said, “When I talk about the government, they say I am talking about the Army. No, I am not talking about the Army..I am talking about the government. There is a difference between the government and the Army. The government has made wrong decisions…so the government should not hide behind the Army, Navy and the Air Force. That is cowardice. The government should own up. That we did it…there was a mistake and we will set it right. We will help them. Not just us, the entire Opposition will help the government. But tell us what had happened,” he said.