NAVA RAIPUR: In a scathing attack on External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said his recent remarks on China did not show nationalism but cowardice and that these were in line with V D Savarkar's ideology of "bowing before the strong".
Addressing the 85th plenary session of the Congress here, Gandhi also claimed that his party leaders and workers were "satyagrahis" while the BJP and RSS people were "satta grahis" (power seekers).
"I want to tell you something about the government's thinking. A few days ago, in an interview, a minister said that China's economy is bigger than India so how can we fight them. When the British ruled over us was their economy smaller than ours," Gandhi said, without naming Jaishankar.
Does this mean that one doesn't take on anyone who is stronger and only takes on those who are weaker, he said. "This is cowardice. It is (V D) Savarkar's ideology that if someone is stronger than you, bow before them. India's minister is stating that your economy is bigger than us so we cannot stand up to you. Is this nationalism? Is this patriotism?" the former Congress president said.
"What kind of patriotism is this that you beat someone weaker than you and bow before the strong," Gandhi said. "There is a word for it. Mahatma Gandhi used to talk of satyagraha. Satyagraha means don't leave the path of truth. There is a new word for the people of the RSS and the BJP. We are satyagrahis, they are 'satta grahis'. They will do anything for satta (power), they would align with anyone, bow before anyone for power. This is their truth," he said.
The Congress has slammed Jaishankar for his reported remarks. "They are the bigger economy, what I am going to do? I am a smaller economy. Am I going to sort of pick up a fight with a bigger economy? It is not a question of reacting. It is a question of common sense. It is in our interest to stabilise our borders or a situation, it is not out of love, affection or sentiment," Jaishankar had reportedly said.
Rahul Gandhi was referring to Jaishankar's recent interview with ANI where the EAM spoke about the border issue with China at length, saying, "China was a bigger economy and India was responding to the situation that China created along the LAC, in Ladakh, by violating border agreements."
"They are the bigger economy, what I am going to do? I am a smaller economy. Am I going to sort of pick up a fight with a bigger economy? It is not a question of reacting. It is a question of common sense. It is in our interest to stabilise our borders or a situation, it is not out of love affection or sentiment," he had said.
Jaishankar said border agreements had helped stabilise the situation till they were violated by China.
There had been a standoff at the LAC in Ladakh following the aggressive actions of the Chinese Army. The two countries held several rounds of military and diplomatic talks for disengagement from some friction points.
The high level of troop deployment by China continues for which India has taken counter steps.
(With ANI inputs)