Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi has criticized External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for not allowing opposition leaders to raise their concerns regarding the ongoing India-China border tensions. Gogoi expressed disappointment at Jaishankar’s choice to address the matter through a unilateral statement rather than permitting open discussion in Parliament.
Speaking on the matter, Gogoi said,
“By choosing to talk about China through a statement, the External Affairs Minister allowed himself to be excluded from any question… I think it was unfair. The government themselves have to see why they did not allow opposition parties, specifically the Leader of the Opposition (LoP), to raise a point of concern.”
Jaishankar had earlier briefed the Lok Sabha on the status of India-China ties, acknowledging that relations have been “abnormal” since the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes. He reiterated India’s commitment to bilateral engagement with China to achieve a fair and mutually acceptable boundary settlement while emphasizing the importance of peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) as a prerequisite for normalizing ties.
Jaishankar stated:
“Recent developments that reflect our continuous diplomatic engagement since then have set our ties in the direction of some improvement… In the coming days, we will be discussing both de-escalation and effective management of activities in the border areas.”
Key Highlights from Jaishankar’s Statement:
- Bilateral Engagement with China: India remains committed to dialogue for boundary settlement.
- Impact of 2020 Galwan Clashes: Relations took a severe hit, witnessing fatalities and heavy troop deployments at the LAC for the first time in 45 years.
- Future Roadmap: Discussions to focus on de-escalation and maintaining peace along the LAC.
Gogoi’s criticism underscores the opposition’s demand for greater transparency and inclusivity in discussions on sensitive national security issues, especially concerning China.
The ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, which began on November 25 and will conclude on December 20, has already seen heightened tensions between the government and opposition on various matters.