‘For Nehru, it was India second, China first’: Jaishankar’s latest Congress barb
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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday attacked former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and claimed that past errors were responsible for contemporary issues such as the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) and China’s occupation of certain Indian territories. During his address at the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Ahmedabad, Jaishankar referenced a historical instance when India was offered a permanent seat in the UN Security Council, highlighting Nehru’s alleged statement of “India second, China first.”
Addressing the audience at the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Jaishankar responded to the query regarding whether India should accept the status quo of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) and territories occupied by China, or pursue efforts to reclaim them.
“When the debate of a permanent seat of the UN (Security Council) came and it was being offered to us, Nehru’s position was we deserve the seat but first China should get it. We at present are following India first policy, but there was a time when Nehru said India second, China first,” he was quoted by news agency PTI.
Over the past few days, BJP leaders have directed criticism toward past Congress administrations led by Nehru and Indira Gandhi concerning the Katchatheevu island matter. According to the minister, “In 1950, Sardar Patel, then home minister, cautioned Nehru about China. Patel warned Nehru that India was facing a dual-front situation for the first time, involving Pakistan and China, which was unprecedented. Patel expressed skepticism about Chinese assurances, suggesting that their intentions differed from what they claimed, and advised taking precautionary measures.” Continuing, the minister stated, “Nehru dismissed Patel’s concerns, considering them unnecessary suspicion towards China. Nehru even asserted the impossibility of anyone launching an attack on India from the Himalayas. However, the subsequent events speak for themselves.”
Over the past decade, the Union government has endeavored to address numerous inherited challenges, some of which have been effectively resolved, while others remain ongoing. Regarding Kashmir, Jaishankar emphasized the significance of a Parliament resolution concerning Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK), stressing the importance of universal respect for it.
-With agency inputs
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Published: 03 Apr 2024, 08:17 AM IST
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