Opposition leaders on Wednesday lashed out at External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for his remarks on China and the BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with many of them pointing to his father's reported comments against the then Gujarat dispensation following the 2002 riots.
The Congress on Wednesday called Jaishankar a "failed" minister and alleged that his remarks on the China issue have "demeaned" the valour of India's armed forces.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate also alleged that foreign policy has been reduced to photo-ops and a chest-thumping exercise and is being used to secure contracts for a businessman.
The opposition party's attack came over the minister's reported remarks urging people to not buy the narrative that somewhere the government is on the defensive or is being accommodative on the China issue. Jaishankar also reportedly hit out at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) over its documentary on Modi and called it "politics by another means".
Slamming Jaishankar, TMC's Rajya Sabha MP Jawahar Sircar said, "Strange -- that Jaishankar discovered his angst against the Gandhis -- after serving them most loyally and taking the best of postings under them? Is it Amnesia or is he just cuddling up to BJP for his unprecedented promotion as Foreign Minister?"
In another tweet, Sircar referred to Jaishankar's "politics by another means" remark, saying the question is whether the facts shown in the documentary are true or false.
"Could thousands of lives be saved if Modi administration was less indulgent," Sircar said.
"S Jaishankar's father, K Subramanyam said 'Dharma was killed in Gujarat (2002 Riots). Those who failed to protect innocent citizens are guilty of adharma. Rama...would have used his bow against the 'Asura' rulers of Gujarat. Shame on son -- serving Asura!" the TMC MP said in another tweet.
Shrinate also spoke of reported 'Asura' remarks of Jaishankar's father K Subrahmanyam.
"You may attack anyone, but you must listen to the words of the elderly who have wisdom and experience. You should listen to your father... He may be old but has the wisdom and experience and you should listen to him," she said.
TMC MP Mahua Moitra tweeted, "So Hon'ble Minister of External Affairs currently moonlighting as Minister of Doublethink & Newspeak. Clearly seems to have forgotten his son worked for Aspen Institute funded by George Soros!"
In a series of tweets, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi asked if the government has nothing to hide on the China border crisis, why is it running away from a debate and discussion in Parliament?
"Why are my questions on the subject denied? Why is media not being taken there? The kind of facetious and irrelevant argument that the EAM gives on China border tells us why control over 2000 sq km of territory has been lost to China by the Modi government? He follows PM's line of na koi ghusa hai...," Owaisi said.
"The government has lost control of territory in Ladakh and failed to restore the status quo as it existed three years ago. Is that not the least that is expected from the government? They can't even get China to discuss Depsang and Demchok," he sad in another tweet.
Bluster and bluff from the external affairs minister will not solve the border crisis with China, the AIMIM chief said, adding that it needs honesty and a willingness to accept the truth.
"The minister has again shown today that the Modi government is scared of the truth, whether on 2002 Gujrat pogrom or on Ladakh crisis with China," he said.
On Jaishankar's reported remark that he has been the longest-serving Indian Ambassador in China, the Congress said in that capacity will he tell when the status along the Line of Actual Control will be restored to the April 2020 position.
"Why do the prime minister and you stay quiet on China? Why have we increased the trade deficit to 100 USD with China and we are almost funding the Chinese Army to do the incursions that they do"?" Shrinate said.
"As India's longest-serving Ambassador to China what do you have to say on Chinese aggression at the border?" she asked.
She also criticised the minister for targeting the Congress-led governments over their China policy, saying, "You can keep attacking your political opponents but do not do this at the cost of our national security... some things are sacrosanct".
The Congress spokesperson also listed several steps taken by the UPA government to strengthen border infrastructure, including sanctioning of a 50,000 strong two new mountain divisions and stationing armoured units in Ladakh and Arunachal
"Foreign policy is supposed to further the interests of this country. Foreign policy is not supposed to be a tool to manage and allocate projects from foreign countries to one business group - that is Adani," she added.
