The Chinese Betrayal 2.0
For the past one week, the Opposition has been demanding that the Government come out with the truth about the developments in the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh and present the facts before the country. The Centre has been trying to portray that the situation in the Indo-Chinese border is normal by issuing statements and trying to conceal the fact that talks were held on June 6 between the armies of India and China to ease the escalating tensions. In fact, the Defence Ministry went a step further and stated that both the countries had taken a decision to withdraw their armed forces from the border in a phased manner. When the country has been spending anxious moments over the border situation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have taken the people into confidence and provided a clear picture about the developments. Instead, the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister have been issuing provocative statements about PoK but have kept the country in the dark about the developments around LAC in the Ladakh region. Now, the country has come face-to-face with the brutal truth about the actual situation in the border.
Making a mockery of the government’s statements that ‘border talks have been successful’ is the death of 20 Indian soldiers in clashes with the Chinese army. At the same time, government sources are claiming that about 45 Chinese soldiers have either died or injured but no official word is out about this. The death of 45 Chinese soldiers should not make us take the death of 20 Indian soldiers lightly. Perhaps, this is the second heinous attack on our soldiers in the Modi regime. Capturing one terrorist in Pulwama cost us 45 Indian Jawans, whereas 20 Indian soldiers have now died in clashes with the Chinese army. The prevailing situation in the border is a grim reminder of the Kargil war. If Pakistan was responsible for the casualties then, today Chinese aggression has led to the deaths of Indian soldiers.
The unprovoked aggression of China against India as well as its hatred against India is not new and has a long history with several dimensions. China has constantly provoked India by trying to claim its rights over Arunachal Pradesh. It has large tracts of land that belongs to India and has under its control the region around Manas Sarvoar that has an emotional connect with India. Also, China has repeatedly tested India’s patience by pushing its army into the Indian territory. At the same time, the restraint that India has shown towards China is remarkable. Though China has provoked India several times in the past, India has eased the situation by showing maturity and patience. However, it seems China is now in a hurry to make use of the opportunity that India has provided by taking several hasty decisions. Coming out of its stand of being non-aligned and showing its absolute loyalty to the United States has resulted in India becoming the enemy of those opposed to the US. At the same time, the US has not adopted the same attitude of being ‘a friend’ of India which India has repeatedly announced and projected it to be. The way the US responded to India’s refusal to export medicines for Corona reflects its attitude towards India. It appears to be merely ‘using’ India in the present globalized world. If India had not sold itself but tried to establish a relationship of being a dignified ally, India would not have had to face such an uncomfortable situation internationally. Today, India has neither a solid foreign policy nor seasoned leaders who can interact with leaders of other countries in a matured way.
The image of the country took a beating after India breached the LOC on the pretext of surgical strikes and the subsequent public statements issued by our leaders. Breaching LOC of another country and publicly lauding itself for doing so does not reflect political maturity. All governments perform such acts wily nily, but do not publicize their actions. But India tried to project the surgical strikes as an achievement and tried to regain lost ground after the Pulwama attacks. These strikes created tension among the neighboring countries.
In the midst of these developments, however, India tried to strengthen its relations with China with several Chinese leaders visiting India twice and India treating them with affection and dignity. Prime Minister Modi also visited China and his government handed over several important projects to Chinese companies. It took several decisions to facilitate business relations with China. In fact, the project of ‘Vallabhbhai Patel’ statue – a symbol of unity of India – was implemented by a Chinese company. Scoffing at the ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharath’ slogan of the Prime Minister, the Delhi-Meerut mega underpass project was given to a Chinese company. But China seemed to have tossed everything aside by adopting a belligerent stand towards India. This is the second installment in a series of Chinese betrayals of India that started with its betrayal of Nehru.
Before taking on China diplomatically, the Modi government should first take into confidence the people of the country. The government should go back on its decisions such as its policy on Kashmir, Citizenship Amendment Act , or National Registry of Citizens that don’t play any role in the development of the country but are detrimental to the country’s harmony. Prime Minister Modi should also stop his ‘one-man show’ ‘’ and work with the Opposition and address the problems facing the country. Bilateral talks and not war is the answer to the present problem. It is not sensible for India that has already suffered an economic blow due to the lockdown to find itself in a situation of going to war with a strong country such as China. Taking a few steps backwards now would help us take strong steps forward in the future.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Former BJP MLAs Malikayya Guttedar, Sharada Shetty join Congress
Bengaluru (PTI): Two former BJP MLAs Malikayya Guttedar and Sharada Mohan Shetty on Friday joined the Congress, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
Guttedar is a six-time MLA from Afzalpur in Kalaburagi district and a former Minister.
Kalaburagi is the home district of Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge, who successfully contested the 2009 and 2014 Lok Sabha elections from there but lost in the 2019 polls.
Kharge's son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani is contesting from Kalaburagi (Gulbarga) in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Guttedar was supposedly upset with the induction of his brother Nithin Venkaiah Guttedar into the BJP earlier this month.
M Y Patil from Congress had won Afzalpur seat in the 2023 Assembly election, in which Malikayya Guttedar had finished third behind Nithin, who contested as an independent.
Malikayya, who was previously with the Congress and had joined the BJP later, had been criticising BJP veteran and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and his son B Y Vijayendra the state BJP president, after his brother's move to the party.
According to sources, Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister and Kharge's son, Priyank Kharge, played a crucial role in bringing him back to the Congress fold.
Sharada Mohan Shetty was a Congress MLA from Kumta in Uttara Kannada district from 2013 to 2018. She had switched over to the BJP after being denied a ticket in the 2018 Assembly elections.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his deputy D K Shivakumar, who is the State Congress chief, and Priyank Kharge welcomed the two leaders and their supporters into the party fold.
Siddaramaiah said he knew that Malikayya Guttedar would not remain in the BJP for long because he is 'pro-social justice'.
ಕೆಪಿಸಿಸಿ ಅಧ್ಯಕ್ಷರು ಹಾಗು ಡಿಸಿಎಂ @DKShivakumar, ಸಿಎಂ @siddaramaiah ಅವರ ಸಮ್ಮುಖದಲ್ಲಿ ಮಾಜಿ ಶಾಸಕರಾದ ಮಾಲೀಕಯ್ಯ ಗುತ್ತೇದಾರ್ ಹಾಗೂ ಶಾರದಾ ಮೋಹನ್ ಶೆಟ್ಟಿ ಅವರು ಕೆಪಿಸಿಸಿ ಕಚೇರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಪಕ್ಷಕ್ಕೆ ಸೇರ್ಪಡೆಯಾದರು. ಸಚಿವರಾದ @PriyankKharge, ಕೆ.ಎನ್ ರಾಜಣ್ಣ ಸೇರಿದಂತೆ ಹಲವರು ಉಪಸ್ಥಿತರಿದ್ದರು. pic.twitter.com/CT2Rpsye7f
— Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) April 19, 2024
