'Capitulating before so-called dragon': Congress slams govt after Modi-Xi talks
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Monday attacked the Centre after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and accused it of "cowardly kowtowing" and capitulation to the "so-called dragon."
The party also termed as "anti-national" Prime Minister Modi's silence on Pakistan-China "jugalbandi" during Operation Sindoor.
Congress general secretary in-charge, communications, Jairam Ramesh, said that for a long time, India has been accusing China of its "double standards" and "double-speak" on terrorism.
"Now, Prime Minister Modi tells President Xi that India and China are both victims of terrorism. If this is not the so-called elephant capitulating before the so-called dragon, then what is it?" he said on X.
"Even more anti-national is the fact that Prime Minister Modi remained completely silent in his conversation with President Xi about China's jugalbandi with Pakistan during Operation Sindoor — something revealed by top Indian Army officials themselves," Ramesh said.
"The self-proclaimed 56-inch chested leader now stands thoroughly exposed. He betrayed the national interest with his clean chit to China on June 19, 2020. Now, August 31, 2025, will also go down as a day of infamy for his cowardly kowtowing in Tianjin," the Congress leader said.
India and China on Sunday vowed to expand trade and investment ties to stabilise global commerce as Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi agreed to deepen bilateral ties to combat pressing challenges and work towards a "fair" solution to the festering border issue.
The talks between the two leaders covered a range of issues, including reducing India-China trade deficit, tackling challenges like terrorism, and ensuring fair trade on multilateral platforms.
The Ministry of External Affairs said, in their talks, Modi and Xi reaffirmed that the two countries are development partners, and not rivals, and that their differences should not turn into disputes.
Modi also mentioned the challenge of cross-border terrorism and pitched for extending support to each other to combat the menace, as both India and China have been impacted by it, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said.
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NIA registers case to probe recovery of 79 crude bombs in poll-bound West Bengal
New Delhi (PTI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday registered a case to probe recovery of 79 crude bombs in poll-bound West Bengal, officials said.
The move came following a directive by the Union Home Ministry in this regard, they said.
In pursuance to the home ministry's order, the anti-terror agency on Sunday registered a case, which was originally filed at Uttar Kashi police station, Bhangar division, Kolkata on Saturday, and took up the investigation, an NIA spokesperson said in a late night statement.
"The case pertains to recovery of 79 crude bombs and other incriminating materials by Kolkata police, which were being stored at a spot, thereby endangering human life and property," the spokesperson said.
Earlier in the day, the Election Commission had directed the West Bengal Police to launch a special drive to arrest those involved in illegal manufacturing of crude bombs in the poll-bound state, an official said.
It asserted that all cases related to the making of any such explosive would be probed by the National Investigation Agency, the official said.
The directive came after the police recovered a large number of crude bombs from the house of a person, allegedly a TMC worker, at Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district, days ahead of the second and final phase of the assembly polls in the state.
The explosives were recovered during a search at the residence of Rafikul Islam following specific inputs, the official said.
The poll panel also issued a warning to senior police officers across the state over any lapse in maintaining law and order before the April 29 polling.
The first phase of the assembly elections in West Bengal was held on April 23, while the second phase will take place on April 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.
A record 93.19 per cent turnout has been recorded in the first round of polling. Bhangar will vote in the second phase.
