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Congress demands Parliament debate on full gamut of India-China ties

Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary in-charge communications said that a discussion in Parliament on India-China relationship should focus on both strategic and economic policy,

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2 years ago

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Congress demands Parliament debate on full gamut of India-China ties

The Congress on Sunday questioned whether the Modi government has agreed to a new normal over the old normal prevailing before April 2020. The party also demanded that Parliament must be given an opportunity to debate the full gamut of the relationship between the two countries.

Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary in-charge communications said that a discussion in Parliament on India-China relationship should focus on both strategic and economic policy, particularly since our dependence on China has increased economically, even as it unilaterally changed the status quo on our borders over four years back.

Jairam Ramesh said the Congress has studied the recent suo motu statement made by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in both Houses of Parliament titled, Recent Developments in India’s Relations with China. He added that it is unfortunate, but typical of the Modi government, that MPs were not permitted to seek any clarifications.

He said that the Congress has four pointed questions on the statement issued by the Centre while fully appreciating the sensitive nature of many aspects of India-China border relations. He further noted that the statement claims that the House is well aware of the circumstances leading up to the violent clashes in Galwan Valley in June 2020, and pointed out that it is an unfortunate reminder that the very first official communication to the nation on this crisis came on June 19, 2020 when the PM provided a clean chit publicly to China and falsely stated none have entered the country.

Questioning what prompted PM Modi to make the assertion, the Senior Congress leader said that the statement was not only an insult to the fallen soldiers but it also weakened India’s position in subsequent negotiations. 

He continued that on October 22, 2024 Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi restated India’s longstanding position, mentioning that as far as they are concerned, they want to go back to the status quo of April 2020, thereafter they will be looking at disengagement, de-escalation and normal management of the LAC.

He further pointed out, nonetheless, the Ministry of External Affairs statement following the 32nd meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) on 5 December 2024 stated that the two sides positively affirmed the implementation of the most recent disengagement agreement which completed the resolution of the issues that emerged in 2020.

He asked if this does not reveal a shift in our official position. He stated that the Ministry of External Affairs’s statement in Parliament stated that in a few other places where friction occurred in 2020, steps of a temporary and limited nature were worked out, based on local conditions, to obviate the possibility of further friction. He claimed that this clearly refers to so-called buffer zones to which the Indian troops and livestock herders are denied access that they previously had.

He underlined that these statements taken together suggest that the MEA is accepting a settlement that does not return the LAC to the April 2020 status quo as desired by the Army and the nation. He asked if it is not clear now that the Modi government has agreed to a new status quo and agreed to live with the new normal after the old normal prevailing prior to April 2020 was unilaterally disturbed by China?

He also questioned why the Chinese government has yet to corroborate any details about the disengagement in Depsang and Demchok. He further asked whether traditional grazing rights for Indian livestock herders had been restored, will there be unfettered access to our traditional patrolling points, and if the buffer zones ceded during previous negotiations have been taken back by India?.

He said that the Congress reiterates the demand it has been making for the past few years–that Parliament must, to reflect a collective national resolve, be given an opportunity to debate the full gamut of the India-China relationship. He stressed that the discussion should focus on both strategic and economic policy, especially since the country’s dependence on China has increased economically, even as it unilaterally changed the status quo on our borders over four years back.

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PM Modi takes aim at critics with Dimagi Naxal remark at SRCC centenary address

PM Modi revived his dimagi Naxal remark at SRCC’s centenary celebrations and spoke about India’s development journey.

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5 hours ago

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September 6, 2026

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PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi revived his ‘dimagi Naxal’ remark while addressing the centenary celebrations of Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) in Delhi on Saturday, using the term to criticise his opponents.

Speaking to students at the Delhi college, PM Modi described the phrase as a “homeopathic pill” and said it had prompted those he described as “dimagi Naxals” to come forward and reveal their views.

The prime minister also used his address to speak to Gen-Z about India’s development journey and asked students to consider the challenges the country had faced in the past.

PM Modi recalls past crises

During his speech, PM Modi referred to the 2013 Kedarnath disaster and the 2008 global financial crisis while criticising the handling of national emergencies by previous governments.

He said the government at the time of the Kedarnath disaster was shaken and questioned its ability to respond to the crisis.

Referring to the 2008 banking crisis, PM Modi alleged that the government of the time failed to effectively deal with the situation and claimed that India’s banking system was pushed close to collapse.

Prime minister lists challenges faced by his government

PM Modi also highlighted several major global crises that occurred during his government’s tenure.

He mentioned the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, disruptions to global trade and supply chains, and the crisis in West Asia.

The prime minister said there had been concerns that India would struggle during these crises but argued that the country had continued to move forward.

PM Modi’s earlier SRCC visit

PM Modi had earlier visited SRCC in 2013, when he was the chief minister of Gujarat. His speech at the college received significant attention, particularly on social media, ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

His latest visit came during the college’s centenary celebrations, where his address focused on young people, India’s development ambitions and the challenges faced by the country.

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India Metro Rail Network May Overtake US in 2 Years

India’s metro rail network has reached 1,170 km across 26 cities. Union minister Manohar Lal said the country could overtake the US in network length within two years.

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20 hours ago

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September 5, 2026

By

Manohar Lal Khattar

India is on track to become the country with the second-largest metro rail network in the world after China, with Union Minister Manohar Lal saying the country could overtake the United States within the next two years.

India’s metro rail network has now expanded to 1,170 km across 26 cities. The network is only 216 km shorter than the US metro rail network, which stands at 1,386 km, according to figures cited by the minister.

India’s metro network expands rapidly

Speaking after the inauguration of an extended metro service in Indore, Manohar Lal highlighted the pace at which metro connectivity has grown in India.

He said metro services were operational across just 245 km in five cities when Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014. The network has since expanded to 1,170 km across 26 cities.

The minister said India could overtake the US in terms of metro rail network length in the next two years and become the world’s second-largest country in this segment after China.

China currently has around 8,000 km of metro rail lines, according to the figures cited by the minister.

Indore metro extension inaugurated

The minister made the remarks after inaugurating an extended section of the Indore metro. The project was built at a cost of around Rs 2,850 crore.

The Indore metro was earlier operating commercially on a six-km stretch between Gandhi Nagar and Super Corridor-3 stations. Following the extension, the service will operate on a 17-km route between Gandhi Nagar and Malviya Nagar Chauraha.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the metro service would mark a new phase in Indore’s development. He also said the network would eventually be extended to Ujjain and other nearby areas.

India’s metro rail network: Key figures

  • India currently has 1,170 km of operational metro rail network.
  • Metro services are operational across 26 cities.
  • The US has around 1,386 km of metro rail network.
  • India is currently 216 km behind the US.
  • China has around 8,000 km of metro rail lines.
  • India’s operational network stood at 245 km across five cities in 2014.

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PM Modi returns to SRCC after 13 years, revisits 2013 glass full speech

PM Narendra Modi returned to SRCC after 13 years for its centenary celebrations, revisiting themes from his landmark 2013 address.

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20 hours ago

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September 5, 2026

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PM Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to Delhi University’s Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) on Saturday, 13 years after his previous visit to the institution as Gujarat chief minister. 

His latest visit came as SRCC marked its centenary celebrations. Modi’s 2013 address at the college had attracted significant attention as he spoke about India’s youth, governance and the country’s demographic potential.

In 2013, Modi was Gujarat chief minister and had not yet been named the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate. He returned to the same campus this year as Prime Minister, having completed 12 years as Prime Minister and serving his third consecutive term. 

What PM Modi said at SRCC in 2013

The 2013 lecture was titled Emerging Business Models in the Global Scenario. The address also covered governance and India’s young population.

He described India’s youth as a source of national strength rather than simply a group of new-age voters. He also highlighted India’s demographic advantage and argued that the country needed to make better use of its young population.

One of the notable moments from the speech involved a glass of water.  Modi contrasted the conventional descriptions of a glass as half full or half empty and said he viewed it as full, with half containing water and the other half air.

The speech also included his remarks on technology and young Indians. Referring to an anecdote from a visit to Taiwan, Modi used the phrase “mouse-charmers” to describe Indians using computers and suggested that young Indians had the ability to influence the world through technology.

‘Minimum government, maximum governance’

Modi’s 2013 address also touched on governance. He spoke about the role of government and the need for better governance.

He also spoke about India’s potential in the 21st century. 

Modi returns as PM for SRCC centenary

The September 5 visit coincided with Teachers’ Day and SRCC’s 100th anniversary. The Prime Minister’s Office had announced that Modi would participate in the college’s centenary celebrations and address the gathering. SRCC was established in 1926 by industrialist and philanthropist Sir Shri Ram.

Earlier this year, Modi also met the SRCC governing body at his residence in April in connection with the college’s centenary celebrations and released a commemorative postage stamp marking the occasion. 

The return to SRCC came 13 years after his 2013 appearance at the college, when he addressed students as Gujarat chief minister.

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