Gandhi had alleged on Friday that while China was preparing for war, the Indian government was “asleep” and trying to ignore the threat
Union minister Anurag Thakur on Monday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on Indian soldiers amid the ongoing debate over the Tawang clash. Slamming Gandhi for his remarks that the Chinese “were beating our soldiers”, Thakur said the former Congress president was busy “eating something” with a Chinese official when Indian soldiers were fighting China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) at Doklam.
“Those who were seen eating something with a Chinese official during the Doklam standoff, should not raise questions. I don’t know who was that official was,” he said.
He further attacked Gandhi for his silence over allegations of the Congress party taking a grant from China for the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation. “Before questioning us on Tawang, Rahul Gandhi must answer, was he with Chinese officials while the Indian Army was fighting China troops over the Doklam issue? Did he question our Army at that time? Did the Rajiv Gandhi foundation take funding from Chinese authorities?” he asked.
Gandhi had alleged on Friday that while China was preparing for war, the Indian government was “asleep” and trying to ignore the threat.
The BJP leader further claimed that during the UPA regime the then government did not empower the armed forces with bulletproof jackets or Rafale fighter jets.
Listing down India’s action against terror during the BJP-led Central government, Thakur said the approach adopted by the Modi government is zero tolerance for terror. “Decisive action has given us definitive results. If you look at surgical strikes and Balakot strike and strike after strike against terrorists has reduced terrorism by 168 per cent in Jammu and Kashmir since 2014,” he said.
“If you look at the conviction rate in terror financing it is 94 per cent. It is just because of the policies adopted and the new laws made and other international conferences held in India,” he added.
He further said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government did not hesitate to ban an outfit (PFI) that “promoted radicalisation on the pretext of social welfare”. “We conducted a thorough probe against the outfit and arrested its members. Action against radical organisations will continue,” Thakur added.
He also took a veiled dig at Pakitan Minister Bilawal Bhutto for his remark against PM Modi and said, “While India is bringing the world together against terrorism, some of our neighbouring countries are backing terrorism and loudly speaking in favour of it. Their true face has been revealed on n international level.”
“Bilawal Bhutto’s statement and Pakistan minister’s threat, show the pressure India’s strict actions and probes have put on terrorism. Pakistan must stop backing terrorism and terror funding or else they themselves will face the heat of it,” he added.
The Union Sports Minister also hits out at the Punjab government over recent incidents of gang wars in the state and said, “After the change of government in Punjab, at least 70 people have been murdered till now. Gang wars have started there,” he said.
Thakur further said that during the AAP government in Punjab, “There was an attempt of cross border terror also” in the state and a “weak govt is not going to work in Punjab.”
