Congress slams Modi govt over 'move' to lift curbs on Chinese companies

Citing a media report that the Centre was now proposing to lift five-year-old curbs on Chinese companies bidding for Indian government contracts, the Congress on Friday (January 9) alleged that the move was "nothing short of a calibrated capitulation" to Chinese aggression.

The grand old party, in a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanded that he must explain the Centre’s sudden "U-turns" on China policy during the forthcoming Budget session of Parliament.

Kharge’s Galwan jibe at PM

Lashing out at the Centre over the issue, Mallikarjun Kharge accused him of “insulting” the sacrifice of Indian soldiers at Galwan by giving China a clean chit.

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"Main desh nahi jhukne doonga'. What is happening today is the exact opposite of that. Two recent examples -- The ban on Chinese companies, in place for 5 years, is being lifted. The sacrifice of our brave Indian soldiers in Galwan was insulted by Modi ji when he gave China a CLEAN CHIT," Kharge said in a post in Hindi on X.

"Now, by rolling out the 'red carpet' for Chinese companies, he is showing just how deep the 'red colour' runs in his 'red eye'," Kharge said in an apparent swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

‘Modi averting Trump’s gaze’

US President Trump is commenting daily on India’s Russian oil export,s but Prime Minister Modi is silent and "averting his gaze", the Congress chief said.

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"The 'sir' thing looks more like 'surrender'. For us, foreign policy means prioritising national interest above all. But the Modi government has dealt a severe blow to our Non-Aligned and Strategic Autonomy foreign policy," he said.

"The Modi government’s foreign policy swings like a wild pendulum-now this way, now that way-and the people of India are bearing the cost of it," Kharge said.

What Jairam Ramesh said

Congress general secretary in charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, shared on X a media report which claimed that India's finance ministry plans to scrap five-year-old restrictions on Chinese firms bidding for government contracts.

There was no immediate response from the government on the claims.

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"Eight months after China gave full military backing (and fronting) to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor and was described by Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Rahul R Singh as one of India's 'adversaries', the Modi government is now proposing to lift five-year-old curbs on Chinese companies bidding for Indian government contracts," Ramesh said on X.

This move follows earlier decisions allowing Chinese firms to invest in India's electronics sector, liberally granting visas to Chinese workers, and comes amid a continuing rise in India's record trade deficit with China, he said.

‘Part of NITI Aayog’s recommendation’

The Congress leader claimed that it is part of a broader set of recommendations from NITI Aayog aimed at removing restrictions on Chinese trade and investment in India entirely.

"This is nothing short of a calibrated capitulation to Chinese aggression, born out of the Prime Minister's own weakness -Cas demonstrated most shamefully by his public clean chit to China on June 19, 2020," Ramesh said.

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"This humiliating kowtowing is taking place even as Indian troops are denied access to traditional patrolling areas, China maintains its heavy military presence in eastern Ladakh, continues to provoke on Arunachal Pradesh, and builds the Medog dam on the Brahmaputra -“ less than a year after giving hyperactive support to Pakistan's attacks on India," the Congress leader said.

The prime minister's "evasions" have gone on far too long, Ramesh said and demanded that he must now explain his government's sudden "U-turns on China policy during the forthcoming Budget session of Parliament, which has for a very long time been denied an opportunity to discuss and debate the challenges and threats from China."

(With agency inputs)