A Communist Party of China (CPC) delegation’s visits to the BJP headquarters in New Delhi and RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale’s office have triggered a war of words between the saffron party and the Opposition Congress.
The CPC delegation, led by its international department’s vice-minister Sun Haiyan, visited the BJP headquarters in New Delhi on Monday (January 12) and called on RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale the day after, eliciting criticism from the Congress. Party leader Supriya Shrinate lashed out at the BJP on X, asking, “What secret agreement was made between BJP and China?”
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Reacting to her post, the BJP on Tuesday (January 13) said it held a formal meeting with a Chinese delegation “openly”, given the “improved” relations between New Delhi and Beijing, unlike the Congress which, it alleged, “secretly” signed a memorandum of understanding with the neighbouring country’s ruling party.
BJP’s counter-attack
The BJP has attacked the Congress on this issue several times, alleging that Rahul Gandhi signed a “secret” MoU with the CPC in Beijing in 2018 in the presence of Sonia Gandhi and Chinese President Xi Jinping. It has also been demanding that the Congress make public the details of the MoU.
The reaction came from BJP national spokesperson Tuhin Sinha after Congress media and publicity department head, Pawan Khera, said his party demands full accountability and complete transparency from the government on its China policy, and asking whether it raises the issue of “repeated Chinese transgressions” during such interactions.
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During Monday’s meeting, a BJP delegation headed by party general secretary Arun Singh discussed at length “the means to advance inter-party communications between the BJP and the Communist Party of China (CPC)”, BJP’s foreign affairs department in-charge Vijay Chauthaiwale said in a post on X. The Chinese Ambassador to India, Xu Feihong, also joined the CPC delegation, he added.
Shrinate’s questions
Sharing a photo of the meeting on X, Congress leader Supriya Shrinate wrote, “This photo is of the BJP office. A meeting is taking place between BJP leaders and leaders of China’s Communist Party. In Operation Sindoor, China supported Pakistan. Our brave soldiers were martyred in Galwan. China is sitting there having encroached in Ladakh. It is settling villages in Arunachal. And here, hugs are being exchanged.”
Shrinate went on to ask some questions that are usually directed at the Congress by right-wing leaders. “What is this relationship called? Why did BJP commit treason against the country? What secret agreement was made between BJP and China?” she thundered.
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At 11 am on Tuesday, the delegation called on RSS second-in-command Hosabale at his office, news agency PTI reported citing unnamed sources. The meeting reportedly lasted for about an hour. “It was a courtesy call by them. The request for the meeting had come from the Chinese side,” the source told PTI.
(With agency inputs)
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