I don't think Modi handled China well, 4000 sq km of Indian territory 'occupied': Rahul Gandhi in US
Washington, Sep 11: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has slammed the Narendra Modi government over its handling of the conflict with China, telling reporters here that it is a “disaster” that 4,000 square kilometres of Indian territory is “occupied” by troops from the neighbouring country.
But the Leader of the Opposition indicated that the Congress is in broad agreement with the BJP-led government on other major foreign policy issues, including relations with the US, no talks with Pakistan unless terrorism ends and concerns over extremist elements in Bangladesh.
At a press conference at the prestigious National Press Club on Tuesday, Gandhi also asserted that he did not want any US role the US in India’s internal affairs.
Answering a question about China, he said: “Well, if you call having Chinese troops in 4,000 square kilometres of our territory handling something well, then maybe. We've got Chinese troops occupying land the size of Delhi in Ladakh. I think that's a disaster. Media doesn't like to write about it."
“How would America react if a neighbour occupied 4,000 square kilometres of your territory? Would any president be able to get away with saying that he's handled that well? So, I don't think Modi has handled China well. I think there's no reason Chinese troops should be sitting in our territory,” Gandhi said.
At the press conference, he supported Modi's policies on Pakistan.
“Pakistan's instigation of terrorism in our country is holding the two countries back. We are not going to accept Pakistan carrying out terror acts in our country. We're just not going to accept it. And until they keep doing that, there's going to be problems between us,” Gandhi, who was on an unofficial four-day trip to the US, said.
He said “No” when asked if the Kashmir issue is holding the two South Asian nations away from a dialogue.
Responding to a question on the India-US relationship, Gandhi noted that it has bipartisan support in both countries.
“I don't see a big diversion. I don't see Modi diverting very much from our approach with the US. I don't see ourselves changing direction very much from what he's doing. So, I see continuity there,” he said.
He said everyone accepts the fact that the India-US relationship is key for both countries.
Gandhi asserted that he did not want any role of the US in India’s internal affairs. It is for the people of India to decide.
“The fight for democracy in India is an Indian fight. With all due respect, it has nothing to do with anybody else. It's our problem. And we'll take care of it. We will make sure that democracy is secure,” he said.
“However, it's important to understand that Indian democracy is more than just any normal democracy because of its size. If you're talking about a democratic vision of the world, then Indian democracy has a large space in that vision. I think it's important that the world sees Indian democracy as an asset, not just for India, but for the rest of the world. Advising the United States on how they should deal with Modi is not my preserve, it's not my space,” Gandhi said.
Gandhi criticised the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 last year but said the scale of violence that ensued must stop.
“Look, I think what happened on the 7th of October was absolutely wrong. But, I also think what Israel did and is doing, bombing innocent civilians, and killing women and children, is absolutely wrong and should not be allowed to continue. I'm against violence of any kind. And certainly, the scale of violence, I actually think, is harming Israel. It's harming Israel more than it's helping them,” Gandhi said.
Responding to a question on Bangladesh, Gandhi said: “There are concerns in India about extremist elements in Bangladesh and we share some of those concerns.”
“However, I'm confident that things will stabilise in Bangladesh and that we would be able to have a relationship with the current government or any other government after that,” he said.
Gandhi had a meeting with a group of lawmakers at the US Capitol where the issue was discussed.
“We raised it (Bangladesh), and they also spoke to us. Look, we are against any type of violence. And we want it to stop. And it's the responsibility, frankly, of the Bangladeshi government to stop it as soon as possible. From our side, it's the responsibility of our government to put pressure so that that violence stops,” Gandhi said.
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CPI(M) alleges attempt to cover up Kudupu mob lynching by Mangaluru Commissionerate Police
Mangaluru: The Dakshina Kannada District Committee of CPI(M) has alleged that the Mangaluru Commissionerate Police is deliberately attempting to cover up the recent mob lynching incident that occurred in Kudupu. The CPI(M) claims that the FIR registered in the case itself serves as strong evidence of this attempt.
The incident took place at Samrat Ground, Kudupu, around 3 PM on April 27, where an unidentified person was reportedly lynched by a mob. Within an hour, the information had reached the Vamanjoor Police Station. By approximately 5 PM, police officers arrived at the scene, where they found the victim’s body, which had been brutally assaulted. The police were already aware of the full details by then, and the Commissioner was also informed.
However, for various reasons, including the involvement of key accused individuals like Ravindra Nayak and Manjunath, both said to be close aides of local BJP leaders, the police allegedly decided to weaken or even suppress the case. The fear of national backlash and reputational damage to the Commissioner reportedly contributed to this decision.
As part of this cover-up, the police allegedly made Manjunath, one of the primary accused in the mob lynching, file a complaint reporting the discovery of an "unidentified body" and registered an Unnatural Death Report (UDR). Even though the police were fully aware of the incident, they issued a Lookout Circular suggesting the victim might have died due to substance abuse or after a fall, downplaying visible injuries as “minor scratches,” said Muneer Katipalla, Secretary of the CPI(M)'s Dakshina Kannada District Committee.
When media personnel approached the Police Commissioner for information and clarification, they were simply told to "wait and not believe in rumours." The Commissioner remained silent for 36 hours. It was only after political leaders and activists raised their voices on April 28, and the issue started trending on social media, that the police agreed to conduct a post-mortem. Based on the report, they finally registered an FIR under murder and mob lynching sections—32 hours after the incident.
The second complainant in the FIR was Keshav, reportedly a close associate of the same communal gang involved in the lynching. According to his statement, the victim was allegedly shouting “Pakistan Zindabad” while running toward the field, which prompted Manjunath, Sachin, and others to believe he was anti-national. They chased him, assaulted him with sticks and kicks, and killed him. Keshav further claimed he tried to stop them but was threatened and left the spot. He only learned later that Manjunath had filed the police complaint.
The CPI(M) has raised serious questions about the entire sequence of events within those critical 32 hours. Why was the initial complaint filed by one of the accused? Why did the police not take suo moto action? Why was a weak UDR filed despite full knowledge of the lynching? Why did the Commissioner remain silent for 36 hours? And why did the second FIR rely on a communal narrative involving “Pakistan” only after public pressure mounted?
Muneer Katipalla demanded a high-level probe into the conduct of the police. He said that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by a senior, impartial IPS officer from outside the district must be formed. He also demanded disciplinary action, including suspension, against Vamanjoor SHO Shivaprasad and Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal for dereliction of duty and alleged complicity in the attempted cover-up.
Muneer Katipalla warned that unless these demands are met and justice is ensured, public trust in law enforcement will continue to erode.
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