New Delhi: After the BJP cornered the Congress on the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) receiving donations from the Chinese Embassy here, the Congress responded that "the BJP should stop living in 2005" and alleged that the ruling party is adopting "diversionary tactics" to avoid answering questions on the Chinese transgressions in Ladakh.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, "Please stop living in 2005 and start answering questions in 2020".
The chairperson of the RGF's board of trustees is party interim chief Sonia Gandhi , while its board includes former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi, former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi, among others.
The Congress countered the BJP on its allegations on RGF, saying "don't adopt diversionary tactics instead of answering the questions raised by the Congress," said Surjewala.
The controversy erupted after BJP alleged that "Donations showed results soon after. RGF did not just one but several studies on how a Free Trade Agreement between India and China is desirable and required. Studies argued that India needs the FTA much more than China and should pursue it as part of its efforts to improve bilateral relations! " said Amit Malviya, head of the BJP's IT cell.
The Congress posed counter questions and asked "Why is the government mum about Chinese presence in eastern Ladakh area, in the national interest the nation wants to know the answer to these questions instead of diversionary tactics of the present BJP government."
Surjewala said "I can ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government, is it not true that the only Chief Minister (as Gujarat CM) who visited China 4 times is none less than Prime Minister Modi, the only Prime Minister who visited China five times is Prime Minister Modi, the only Prime Minister who called the Chinese premier three times is Prime Minister Modi."
The Congress alleged that meetings between BJP and RSS with Chinese delegations were "anti-India". as the opposition party posed a barrage of questions to the BJP.
"Is it not true that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh held a consultation in 2009 with Chinese Communist Party and did not Rajnath Singh receive and hold a meeting with Chinese delegation in 2008? Is it not true that then BJP President Nitin Gadkari on January 19, 2011, led a delegation to China and held consultations?"
"Are these consultations anti-India? Is it not true that BJP sent a 13-member parliamentary delegation to China to study their political system, were these anti-India activities?" asked Surjewala.
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