'Don't Know The Threat From China': Sam Pitroda On US Offer To Mediate In Border Dispute, BJP Reacts
Sam Pitroda stated that the India-China conflict is often exaggerated and urged for a shift from confrontation to collaboration. He also said assuming China as an enemy from the start is unfair.
Chairman of Indian Overseas Congress Sam Pitroda on Monday said the India-China row is often blown out of proportion, adding that the approach of our country has been “confrontational from the very beginning".
“I don’t understand the threat from China. I think this issue is often blown out of proportion because the US has a tendency to define an enemy," Pitroda said on being asked whether US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be able to control the threat from China.
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“I believe the time has come for all nations to collaborate, not confront. Our approach has been confrontational from the very beginning, and this attitude creates enemies, which in turn garners support within the country," he said.
“We need to change this mindset and stop assuming that China is the enemy from day one. It’s unfair, not just to China, but to everyone," Pitroda said.
Reacting to Pitroda’s statement, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Tuhin Sinha took a dig at him and in an X post, wrote, “Those who ceded away 40000 square km of our land to China, still see no threat from the Dragon."
“No wonder Rahul Gandhi is in awe of China and was rooting for BRI one day before the IMEEC was announced the crux of Cong party’s obsessive fascination for China, lies hidden in the mysterious 2008 Cong-CCP MOU," his X post read.
Also speaking to the media, BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said, “Congress party, Rahul Gandhi, and George Soros work as China’s agents. The secret MOU of 2008, which took place between the Communist Party of China and the Congress Party, that secret (Memorandum of Understanding) MOU has not yet been organised by the Congress Party."
“At the time of Doklam, Rahul Gandhi was secretly meeting China’s ambassador… Sam Pitroda’s statement clarifies that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress Party have a soft corner for China," Bhandari said.
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the United States, Trump expressed optimism about future relations with China while acknowledging past tensions, particularly in the wake of Covid-19.
Addressing a joint press conference with PM Modi, Trump addressed ongoing global conflicts, including the India-China border tensions and the war in Ukraine, emphasising the need for de-escalation.
On India-China border skirmishes, Trump acknowledged their intensity and offered to mediate if necessary.
He said, “I look at India, I do see the skirmishes on the border, which are quite vicious, and I guess they continue to go on. If I could be of help, I’d love to help, because that should be stopped."
He said China can play an important role in ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict, “I don’t want to be naive, but as leaders go, I think we were very close. And I think that China is a very important player in the world. I think they can help us get this war over with Ukraine and Russia."
Trump also underscored the importance of diplomatic cooperation among major global powers.
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