The party demands disclosure of the agenda, minutes and outcomes of all closed-door meetings between BJP/RSS leaders and CPC officials
NEW DELHI — The Congress has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of showing hypocrisy on China, putting the ruling party “in the dock” for hosting Communist Party of China (CPC) delegations at its headquarters while publicly posturing toughness against Beijing. The party demanded full disclosure of the agenda, minutes and outcomes of all closed-door meetings between BJP/RSS leaders and CPC officials.
Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here on Tuesday, Congress Media and Publicity Chairman Pawan Khera said the Narendra Modi government’s China policy amounted to a “meek surrender,” alleging that India’s strategic interests, territorial integrity and sovereignty had been compromised. “The BJP’s ‘Laal Aankh’ has turned into ‘Laal Salaam’ to the CPC,” he said.
Khera recalled the Galwan clash, alleging that the prime minister’s remarks later gave China a “clean chit,” emboldening its expansionist designs. He said China militarily backed Pakistan during Operation Sindoor—a fact acknowledged by Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Rahul R Singh—yet the government is proposing to ease restrictions on Chinese companies. He also questioned the decision to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra on Chinese terms despite Beijing deploying HQ-9 air defence systems and supplying Pakistan with PL-15 missiles.
The Congress leader criticised the prime minister’s silence after claims by the Chinese foreign minister—echoing earlier remarks by US President Donald Trump—that China intervened to “stop the war” between India and Pakistan.
Khera flagged Beijing’s ban on specialised fertiliser exports to India and restrictions on access to rare earth minerals, saying these hurt farmers and industry even as India continues issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals. He also raised concerns over alleged Chinese attempts to intrude into the Siliguri Corridor, infrastructure build-up near the LAC, buffer zones in eastern Ladakh without restoration of the pre-May 2020 status quo, bridges in Pangong Tso, and a widening trade deficit.
Expressing alarm over China’s proposed mega dam on the Brahmaputra, Khera said it threatened India’s water security and the ecology of the Northeast. He accused the government of avoiding a parliamentary discussion on China despite its repeated transgressions.
Highlighting “policy contradictions,” Khera said while the BJP/RSS called for a boycott of Chinese goods, the government procured smart metres from blacklisted Chinese firms, diluted app bans, granted land to Chinese companies and accepted funds linked to Chinese entities through PM CARES.
Pointing to at least 12 documented BJP–CPC interactions since 2008, Khera asked whether issues such as Chinese transgressions, Ladakh disengagement, trade imbalance, fertiliser and rare earth bans, detention of Indian citizens from Arunachal Pradesh, and China’s support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor were ever raised.
Responding to a question, Khera said that details of how much money and on how many occasions organisations such as the India Foundation and the Vivekananda International Foundation received funds from China should be placed in the public domain. He said the issue was not about which NGO took money from whom or for what purpose.
“What matters is that you are the ruling party and have been in power for the last 12 years. India’s national interests are being repeatedly compromised, yet there is no protest from you. And when you do speak, you end up giving China a clean chit,” Khera said.
Referring to an NGO close to the government, he questioned how much funding it had received from China, pointing out that the son of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar holds a senior position in that organisation. “Why is this not being questioned?” he asked.
He also raised objections to the installation of smart metres in the sensitive region of Jammu and Kashmir by blacklisted Chinese company Dongfang.
Accusing the government of double standards, Khera said the BJP tells citizens not to buy Chinese products—such as idols of Lord Ganesha or decorative lights—while simultaneously signing major commercial agreements with China, opening up the electronics sector, allotting land to Chinese companies in Dholera, and even advocating the compulsory teaching of Mandarin in schools in Gujarat.
Responding to a question on reports that a Chinese delegation had also met RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, and on the government’s repeated refusal to allow a parliamentary debate on China despite the Congress raising the issue several times, Khera said such developments raised serious concerns.
“As far as the meeting with Dattatreya Hosabale is concerned, we have consistently maintained that non-state actors should not be allowed to influence or control state policy. The RSS functions from the shadows; it is a non-registered organisation. Why should such an organisation, which does not even come forward openly, be allowed to shape state policy or hold meetings of this nature?” Khera asked.
He said the RSS has been holding such meetings for years and questioned their purpose. “What is it that they need to discuss? Culture? One hopes so—but this is something the BJP and the RSS must answer,” he said.
On the government’s reluctance to permit a discussion on China in Parliament, Khera said the Congress and the country at large were “aghast and surprised.” “Why does the BJP not want any debate on China in Parliament? What is it that the BJP is afraid of?” he asked.
