Congress slams PM Modi's foreign visits, says he has 'washed his hands of Manipur'

The Congress took a jab at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (August 29) over his visit to Japan and China and said that the PM had neglected violence-torn Manipur. Criticising Modi, the Congress said that the long-suffering people of Manipur are still awaiting his visit, but he has "simply washed his hands off" the state.

Slamming Modi's visit to two countries, Congress general secretary in charge of communication Jairam Ramesh said that India is compelled to reconcile with China on its own terms, suggesting that China is now trying to take advantage of India's situation after the US imposed 50 per cent tariff on Indian imports.

Ramesh also noted that India has already forgotten China's tie-up with Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. He also said that the statement by Modi, after the 2020 military standoff between India and China on Eastern Ladakh, left little room for India to negotiate.

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'China taking advantage'

Jairam Ramesh said, "The Frequently Flying (and more frequently lying) Prime Minister is off to Japan and China."

"His visit to China is a moment of some reckoning for India. We are being forced to normalise relations with China - largely on their terms, with China trying to take advantage of the downturn in Indo-US ties as well," Ramesh said in a post on X.

"China's jugalbandi with Pakistan during Operation Sindoor - revealed by our own military establishment itself - has been forgotten," the Congress leader said.

"The extraordinarily bizarre statement of the Prime Minister on June 19, 2020, when he proclaimed that 'Na koi hamari seema mein ghus aaya hai, na hi koi ghusa hua hai' greatly hurt our negotiating strength," Ramesh claimed.

It left India with little room to manoeuvre and this visit, despite the failure to restore the pre-April 2020 status quo, is the inevitable result of that "notorious and cowardly clean chit", said Ramesh.

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'PM washed his hands off Manipur'

"Even as the PM jets off abroad, the long-suffering people of Manipur are still awaiting his visit there to heal the wounds of May 2023," Ramesh said.

But the PM simply and "stubbornly refuses" to engage with the state, its political parties and leaders, civil society organisations, and the people themselves, he alleged.

"He (Modi) has simply washed his hands off Manipur - which stands as a tragic testimony to the blundering of the Union Home Minister," claimed the Congress leader.

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Modi to attend SCO

Before starting the state visit to Japan and China, Modi on Thursday (August 28) was confident that this visit would benefit India's interests and priorities and said that it would further help to build fruitful cooperation in advancing regional and global peace.

Modi's Japan visit is scheduled between August 29 and 30. He reached Tokyo on Friday morning. From there, he will visit China to attend the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).