Panaji, Feb 9 Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for blaming the BJP for the "friendship" between China and Pakistan, while adding that the bonhomie between the two neighbouring countries was ongoing during previous Congress regimes.
"He stood in Parliament in response to the presidential address and said that because of the BJP China and Pakistan have become friends. I want to ask you, have China and Pakistan become friends because of us? Or did it happened during their government," Singh said, while speaking at an election rally in South Goa.
"I want to remind Rahul Gandhi that during the tenure of PM Nehru... I want to say this with utmost respect to Nehru. I don't want to disrespect him. During that time, Pakistan gave away the Shaksgam valley to China. There was no PM from our party at that time," Singh also said.
Accusing Gandhi of spreading falsehoods, Rajnath Singh also said that the Karakoram highway through Pakistan occupied Kashmir was built during the tenure of former Prime Minister and Rahul Gandhi's grandmother late Indira Gandhi.
"I want to remind Rahul Gandhi that the Karakoram highway through PoK was built because of the friendship between China and Pakistan and the Prime Minister at that time was Indira Gandhi. China Pakistan Economic Corridor was started during the tenure of Manmohan Singh as the PM of this country. Their friendship has been going on since then. We did not do this," Singh said.
The Defence Minister also said that the Congress leader's claim of a lower fatality count among the Chinese armed forces during the Galwan valley clash has been proved wrong by recent disclosures made by an Australian newspaper.
"Rahul Gandhi said that when there was a skirmish between the India and China armies at the Galwan valley that only the two-four Chinese soldiers died. What is Rahul Gandhi trying to do? I want to tell the senior leaders of Congress please make Rahul Gandhi understand. What is he talking? But after he spoke, an Australian paper brought out after investigations that in the Galwan incident 38-50 Chinese soldiers died," Singh said.
"I haven't said this. The BJP hasn't said this. It was an Australian paper that said this. I want Rahul Gandhi to understand we are proud of our armed forces that are defending our borders. You should never question them," he added.
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