China takes away 4,000 sq km, US imposes 27% tariff: Rahul Gandhi slams govt for foreign policy

Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition, slammed the government’s foreign policy. He claimed that China had taken over 4,000 sq km of Indian territory as the foreign secretary cut a cake with the Chinese ambassador, while the US imposed 27 per cent reciprocal tariffs, which, he said, would completely devastate the economy. 

He asked what the government was doing about the land as well as the tariffs, which an ally of the country imposed. The US announced 27 per cent reciprocal tariffs on India, adding that New Delhi imposes high import duties of 52 per cent on American goods. He called the 27 per cent ‘discounted’ tariffs. 

“Foreign policy is about managing external countries. You have given China 4,000 sq km of land. On the other side, our ally suddenly decides to impose tariffs on us – 27 per cent, which is going to completely devastate our economy. Our auto industry, our pharmaceutical industry, agriculture, they are all on the line,” he said. 

Speaking during the Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi also slammed the government over the celebration of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between India and China. 

"It is a known fact that China is sitting on 4,000 square kilometre of our territory. I was shocked some time back to see that our foreign secretary (Vikram Misri) was cutting a cake with the Chinese ambassador. The question is - what exactly is happening to this territory? There is a celebration taking place over their martyrdom of 20 soldiers by cutting a cake. We are not against normalcy but there should be a status quo before that. We should get our land back,” he said, referring to the Galwan incident in 2020.

“It has also come to my notice that the Prime Minister and President have written to the Chinese. We are not finding this out from our own people, it is the Chinese ambassador who is telling the people of India that the PM and the President have written to them," Gandhi said.

"Somebody once asked Indira Gandhi ji - 'In the matter of foreign policy you lean left or you lean right', and Indira Gandhi ji answered 'I don't lean left or right, I stand straight. I am Indian and I stand straight',” said Gandhi. 

He further added: "The BJP and the RSS have a different philosophy, when they are asked whether they lean left or the right, they say 'no, no, no, we bow our head in front of every foreigner that comes in front of us. This is something that is in their culture, in their history, we know that. But we would like an answer from the government of India.”