NEW DELHI (IANS) — Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday took potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Doklam border row with China, saying he hoped the “56 inch strongman has a plan” to deal with the matter.
“‘India should have learnt lessons from Doklam’, says China,” Gandhi tweeted.
He said last week thousands took up his Twitter poll.
“Sixty-three per cent felt Modiji would use hugplomacy, blame RM (Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman) and cry in public to deal with the Doklam issue! For India’s sake, I hope you were wrong and our 56 inch strongman has a plan,” Gandhi tweeted.
China on Monday said Doklam is “Chinese territory” and the question of changing the status quo does not arise after India’s envoy Gautam Bambawale warned Beijing against any attempt to change the present state of affairs on the plateau.
In an interview to Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, Bambawale said any attempt to change the status quo in Doklam would lead to another stand-off.
“Donglang (Doklam) belongs to China as we have historical conventions… There is no such thing as changing the status quo,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said.
India and China were locked in a 73-day military stand-off at Doklam in the eastern section of their border last year.
The crisis erupted after Indian troops halted road construction at Doka La, citing Bhutan’s claim to the area.
