Rahul Gandhi slams Sushma Swaraj for buckling before Chinese on Doklam

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had on Wednesday informed Lok Sabha that there was no change in the status quo at the site of the military face-off with China in Doklam and the issue was resolved with diplomatic maturity in August last year.

A day after her response, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, citing a top US official’s claim that China has quietly resumed its activities in the Himalayan region, alleged that the External Affairs Minister has “buckled and prostrated herself in front of Chinese power”.

In a tweet, he alleged that such “absolute subservience” would mean that the jawans safeguarding India’s borders have been “betrayed”.

Earlier, Congress communications incharge Randeep Singh Surjewala said the "denials, half-truths and doublespeak" on Doklam were endangering India's national security and strategic interests.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should make a statement in Parliament placing all facts and tell his government's policy on de-militarising the Doklam plateau.

"Modi government and Sushma Swaraj were conspicuously silent on the Chinese military buildup and new road construction in the south Doklam region, overlooking the Siliguri corridor," said Surjewala.

Surjewala said Modi had met Chinese President Xi Jinping thrice during the last four months but there is "no conclusive reaction" from his government to the reports about the Chinese military build-up in the region.

He said media reports and satellite imagery had suggested that the Chinese Army has not only built a full-fledged Chinese Military Complex in Doklam but also occupied the entire Doklam plateau right upto 10m from Indian Army post.

"Sushma Swaraj's vacuous statement on Doklam in Parliament today speaks volumes about the Modi government's uncertain foreign policy and continuous flip-flops to the Chinese misadventure in Doklam which is harming India's strategic interests," he said.