Tharoor slams Jaishankar for China 'bigger economy' remark

IANS

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Raipur, February 25

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday criticised External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar for the latter’s recent remark during an interview that “China is a bigger economy” while defending India’s policy on China amid tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

“It is shocking to hear from the External Affairs Minister that China is too rich to stand up to,” Tharoor said while speaking on the international resolution passed by the Congress during the party’s 85th plenary session being held here.

Tharoor said the future of India is bright as long as the Congress fights the good fight and we have to send a message from here. The MP from Thiruvananthapuram said that the party should be absolutely clear about its ideology if it wants to take on the BJP with full might.

Stressing on the idea of inclusive India, Tharoor said Congress could have been more vocal on the release of Bilkis Bano rape case convicts and cow vigilantes.

Tharoor also targeted the Central government for ‘rampant crony capitalism’ and ‘accumulating wealth in the hands of a few friends of the Prime Minister’.

Meanwhile, the Congress in its political resolution said that it will bring a law to punish and prevent hate crimes to combat hate politics and violence.

The resolution said, “In the last eight-and-a-half years under the BJP government, the politics of hate has assumed alarming proportions and religious polarisation has reached its peak. Hate crimes and atrocities have increased manifold. Vigilante right wing groups incite violence on various trivial issues.

“These groups operate with impunity and have started acting like police, spreading anarchy and fear. This fear in the minds of minorities is the aim of the BJP/RSS regime.” The resolution said that during the course of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, it was clear that majority of Indians yearn for love, peace and harmony.