JAIPUR: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged on Friday that China is preparing for war and the Indian government is sleeping over it and trying to ignore the threat.
He also alleged that China has taken away 2,000 square kilometres of Indian territory, killed 20 Indian soldiers and is "thrashing our jawans in Arunachal Pradesh".
Addressing the media here on the completion of 100 days of Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul said that the Government of India "does not work strategically, it works on an event basis. When it comes to geopolitics, events do not work, power does."
"I can see the threat of China very clearly. I have been clear on this for the last two-three years, but the government is trying to hide it and ignore it. This threat can neither be hidden or ignored. Going by their full offensive preparation that is on in Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh, the Indian government is asleep," Gandhi told a press conference here.
Targetting Foreign Minister Jaishankar, Rahul said, “the statements from the foreign minister keep coming, but he needs to deepen his understanding.” Earlier, Rahul Gandhi took a dig at journalists for not asking any question related to China and said "no one is asking questions on China. The same China which martyred 20 Indian soldiers, is beating our soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh. But the country's press does not ask a question on China."
"They think in terms of event management but where geostrategy is involved, event-based action does not work, power works there. I have said three-four times that we should be careful and understand what is happening. They keep making statements, I see the external affairs minister keeps making remarks, I should not say it, but he should deepen his understanding," Gandhi said.
The Congress has been accusing the BJP-led government of succumbing to pressure from China and not taking on the neighbouring country after its frequent transgressions at the border.
The opposition party has been saying that the prime minister should take on China and address the border issues with it strongly by looking "eye to eye".
The Congress has also been seeking a discussion in Parliament on the border issue and Chinese transgressions at the border.
Talking about his Yatra, Rahul targeted crony capitalism and said that "100 people have the same wealth as half of the country's population. We want to talk about this absurdity in India. We want to unite India."
On the campaign being run against him, Rahul Gandhi said that "it is a systematic campaign against me and the Congress, the media is also involved in it." Rahul further added, 'there are many reasons for BJP winning the elections. They have huge money, they threaten people. We do not do this and we do not have these resources. We don't have that much money. BJP knows who they are. BJP knows how to spread hatred. BJP divides India, BJP is clear about themselves. The day the Congress understands who we are, it will not lose any election."
Talking about the benefits of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi said he personally benefited a lot from the Yatra. "I have learned a lot. I also had a little distance from the public, that is over. What I see when I walk on the street is completely different. We meet and talk to lakhs of people,” he added.
Rahul Gandhi said that a gap has developed between the leaders and the public and "I thought that the distance between the public and the leader has to end. This is the distance of pain. The aim of the yatra was also to understand the pain among the public. I have received a lot of love from the public, which I cannot express. Our yatra is another way of doing politics. This is Gandhiji's way, we have got the best response in Rajasthan."
On the factionalism in Rajasthan Congress, Rahul said that "there is no dictatorship in our party. There is a culture of Congress to discuss, to disagree, which is a good thing. Not only in Rajasthan, but it is also practiced in other states as well. We don’t take any action until there is a loss to the party. The general ideology is that if party people want to speak, we don't silence them by intimidation."
(With inputs from PTI)