An ABP-CVoter national survey on the India-China Ladakh border issue, released recently, had some interesting findings. Almost 68 per cent of the participants believed that China now poses a bigger problem to India than Pakistan, and 73.6 per cent of the respondents expressed trust in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership on the issue of national security. However, only 39.8 per cent believed that Indian government had given China a befitting reply.
Only 32 per cent of those surveyed by ABP-CVoter believed that Pakistan is a more serious concern compared to China, according to the survey.
The survey comes against the backdrop of the continuing border tensions with China, with 20 Indian soldiers, including a colonel, killed in a clash with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in Ladakh last week.
The survey said its respondents laid high trust in the BJP-led NDA government as 73.6 per cent of them said they have more confidence in Modi than opposition parties in dealing with the crisis. Merely 16.7 per cent responded in favour of the opposition, while 9.6 per cent said neither the government nor its rival parties are capable of handling the ongoing dispute with China.
To a question on comparison between Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who has been criticising the prime minister for his handling of the border crisis, 61 per cent of respondents said they had "no faith" in Gandhi. The survey said 14.4 per cent of the respondents said they have some faith in the Congress leader on the issue of national security.
Over 68 per cent of those surveyed believe Indians will boycott Chinese products, while 31 per cent people will continue to buy goods made in China.
The survey findings could be food for thought for PM Modi and the BJP. While the Centre can feel heartened about the overwhelming public support over national security issues, alarm bells have to be ringing vis-a-vis a marked discontent over the government's actions against China. China has never been a domestic political issue the way Pakistan has been, but the public sentiment is turning. And, it is not a good development. When national anger surged over Pulwama terror strikes last year, PM Modi rode on a wave of popularity (as evidenced by Lokniti-CSDS pre-poll survey) of the Balakot counter-strikes in the 2019 general elections.
But, the prime minister knows fully well that China is a different beast compared to Pakistan; the two cannot be compared or dealt with in even a remotely similar manner. Hence his muted rhetoric and single-minded focus on de-escalation. The last thing he needs is domestic pressure for pushback against China, which will put him in a very difficult position. Even the rampant boycott calls for Chinese products fail to take into account India's dependence on Chinese supply chain, and the magnitude of their investment in Indian businesses. Understanding this perfectly, former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda had cautioned the Narendra Modi government against resorting to a "reactionary language of economic boycott" against China, stating it could have "deep implications", and called for pragmatism.
Also, trade sanctions will hurt us more than them. As The Indian Express reported, while China accounts for 5 per cent of India’s exports and 14 per cent of India’s imports, India’s imports from China (that is, China’s exports) are just 3 per cent of China’s total exports, and China’s imports from India (Indian exports) are less than 1 per cent of its total imports.
Political melee
The opposition has certainly made life difficult for the BJP, with constant pressure and questioning of the Centre's actions on the Ladakh border crisis. The Congress and the BJP have been engaged in a slugfest over the LAC standoff with China at Ladakh, with each attacking the other for the past few days. Most recently, the Congress had sought to corner the BJP-led NDA government over the claims about Chinese intrusions in Arunachal Pradesh made by a BJP MP from the state and asked it to come clean on the issue. It also asked the government to give a "strong reply" to China as regular dialogues would not work, and India needs to use other means like trade to take it on.
Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said BJP MP Tapir Gao had in a recent TV interview claimed that China has occupied areas on both banks of the Subansiri River in Arunachal Pradesh's Upper Subansiri district and on the Indian side of the McMahon Line. Tewari said ever since reports about Chinese aggression into Indian territory emerged, the NDA government has been walking the extra mile to downplay these reports and was trying to obfuscate the facts on the ground.
On Wednesday, post a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, Congress spokesperson Surjewala said the BJP should be answering why the government permitted brazen Chinese transgressions into our territory. "Why have the Chinese been permitted to encroach upon our land," he asked.
Surjewala said the defence minister, external affairs minister and the external affairs ministry have all spoken about Chinese incursions and intrusions, yet the prime minister chose to deny it completely. "Is asking questions about brazen Chinese aggressions and as to how the Chinese encroach upon our territory, now anti-national or misleading the country?" the Congress leader asserted.
Surjewala also questioned the government on the number of Chinese intrusions since 2014 as also on ceasefire violations by Pakistan and alleged that the highest number of soldiers and civilians have died on the border under the BJP government. "If this is the act and conduct of a government that thrives on pseudo-nationalism and fake strength, then it is our duty on behalf of India to ask these questions of the government and we will not fail India in adhering to our duty," he said.
The BJP had then attacked the Congress, alleging that it is deriving "sadistic pleasure" by "showing" that India has lost land to China. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra hit out at Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and party leader Rahul Gandhi, alleging they are "conspiring" to lower the Indian Army's morale. He took exception to the CWC meeting and its criticism of the Modi government on a day the Army chief was visiting Ladakh.
The Congress has surrendered its shame to China, he alleged. "The Congress is deriving sadistic pleasure," he said, adding that the party should not use misfortunes like COVID-19 or the standoff with China as a "launch pad" for the "falling career" of its "clown prince".
