Premium

‘Irresponsible politics’: Rajnath Singh counters Rahul Gandhi’s ‘China inside India’ statement in Parliament

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says words attributed by Congress leader never spoken by Army chief.

rahul Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during the Budget session of Parliament, at the Parliament House complex in New Delhi, Tuesday. (PTI Photo)

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of indulging in "irresponsible politics on matters of national interest”. (PTI Photo)

A day after Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi slammed the government over its handling of the border row with China, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said Gandhi had misquoted the Army chief. Speaking in Parliament yesterday, Gandhi had said that the PM has denied that Chinese forces are inside our territory “but for some reason, our Army keeps talking to Chinese about their entry into our territory and Chief of Army Staff has said that the Chinese are inside our territory”.

Taking to social media platform X, Singh said: “The Army Chief’s remarks referred only to the disturbance of traditional patrolling by both sides. He also mentioned that these practices have been restored to their traditional pattern as part of the recent disengagement. Government has shared these details in Parliament.”

Singh accused Gandhi of indulging in “irresponsible politics on matters of national interest”.

Story continues below this ad

“If at all there is Indian Territory into which China has come, this is 38,000 sq. km in Aksai Chin as a result of the 1962 conflict and 5,180 sq. km. illegally ceded by Pakistan to China in 1963. Shri Rahul Gandhi may consider introspecting about this phase of our history,” the senior Bharatiya Janata Party added.

Gandhi had said that the “Chief of Army Staff said that the Chinese are inside our territory” and blamed the “failure” of the Make in India programme of the government for the same.

Shri Rahul Gandhi in his speech in Parliament on 03 February 2025 made false allegations about the statement of the Army Chief on the situation on the India-China border.

The Army Chief’s remarks referred only to the disturbance of traditional patrolling by both sides. He also…

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) February 4, 2025

Flagging India’s dependence on its neighbouring country, the Leader of Opposition in Parliament said: “If and when we fight a war with China, we will be fighting with Chinese electric motors, Chinese batteries and Chinese optics and we will be buying Chinese motors, Chinese optics and Chinese batteries”.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram