9 hours Ago By PTI
Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Centre, alleging that India's dependence on Chinese products is a major national security concern. Speaking during the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address, Gandhi claimed that the failure of the 'Make in India' initiative had resulted in China’s continued presence inside Indian territory. “Our Chief of Army Staff has said the Chinese are inside our territory.
This is a fact. The reason China is inside our territory is important..
. The reason China is sitting inside this country is because 'Make in India' has failed. The reason China is sitting inside this country is because India is refusing to produce, and I am worried that India is going to give up this revolution to the Chinese once again,” Gandhi stated in the Lok Sabha.
Highlighting concerns over India’s defence preparedness, he warned that in case of a conflict, the country would be heavily reliant on Chinese-made components. “If and when we fight a war with China, we will be fighting with Chinese electric motors, Chinese batteries, and Chinese optics, and we will be buying Chinese motors, Chinese optics, and Chinese batteries,” the Congress leader remarked, sparking objections from BJP MPs. Gandhi also criticized the President’s address to Parliament, calling it repetitive and uninspiring.
“I must say I struggled through the President’s address to maintain my attention because I have heard pretty much the same address before. It’s the same laundry list of things that the government has done,” he said. He added that the speech failed to address core issues such as unemployment and rising economic disparities.
The Congress MP accused successive governments, including the previous UPA regime, of failing to tackle unemployment and provide a clear vision for job creation. While acknowledging that ‘Make in India’ was a “good idea,” he asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “pretty much failed” in its execution. Gandhi also took a dig at India’s foreign policy, alleging that the External Affairs Minister was sent to the United States to facilitate Modi’s invitation to the US President’s “coronation.
” His remarks triggered a sharp response from Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, who challenged him to substantiate his claims. “You cannot make such unsubstantiated claims,” Rijiju countered. In his speech, Gandhi also emphasized the need for India to focus on domestic production, arguing that the country had handed over its manufacturing capacity to China.
He expressed concern over increasing social tensions in the country and called for a shift in priorities to technological advancements. He identified four key areas driving change in mobility—electric motors, batteries, optics, and artificial intelligence (AI)—and stressed that India must lead in these fields rather than depend on imports. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present in the House during Gandhi’s speech but did not respond immediately.
The heated exchange highlighted the growing political tensions between the ruling BJP and the Congress ahead of the upcoming elections..
