We act openly, no secret MoU: BJP hits back after Cong questions Chinese delegation's visit

New Delhi: The BJP on Tuesday said it held a formal meeting with a Chinese delegation openly, given the "improved" relations between New Delhi and Beijing, unlike the Congress which, it alleged, "secretly" signed a memorandum of understanding with the neighbouring country's ruling party.

The ruling party also slammed the Congress for raising border issues, saying it has "no locus" to do so as the root of the actual problems with China can be traced back to the time of the first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.

"Nevertheless, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has been working to resolve it. And that effort is continuing unabated," BJP national spokesperson Nalin Kohli told PTI Videos.

The BJP was reacting after the Congress targeted it over the Communist Party of China delegation visiting the BJP headquarters here, accusing the saffron party of showing hypocrisy in its dealings with the neighbouring country and asking whether it raised the issue of "repeated Chinese transgressions" during such interactions.

The Congress media and publicity department head, Pawan Khera, said his party demands full accountability and complete transparency from the government on its China policy.

Hitting back, BJP national spokesperson Tuhin Sinha said, "It was a process of a formal meeting. A formal meeting takes place when a situation improves. We do it very openly."

"We do not secretly sign any such MoU which we can not explain for years," he said, in an apparent reference to the Congress reportedly signing a memorandum of understanding with the Communist Party of China.

The BJP has attacked the Congress on this issue several times, alleging that Rahul Gandhi signed a “secret” MoU with the Communist Party of China in Beijing in 2018 in the presence of Sonia Gandhi and Chinese President Xi Jinping. It has also been demanding that the Congress make public the details of the MoU.

Sinha said the meeting with the Chinese delegation took place at the BJP headquarters here because "things have improved".

"Recently, flights (between India and China) resumed. Trade talks are also going on," he said, when asked about the Congress' allegations.

The BJP spokesperson also attacked Rahul Gandhi, saying he lost his right to raise questions on the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government's foreign policy since he made a baseless claim that Indian soldiers were "thrashed" by Chinese soldiers during the Galwan Valley clash.

"Rahul Gandhi should not be compared with our people," Sinha said.

Reacting to the Congress criticising the Modi government over China reaffirming its territorial claims over the Shaksgam Valley, BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli said the government of India has made its stand on this issue very clear that "this is not acceptable to us".

"As far as the Congress party raising questions about it, they really have no locus to do so because the actual problems with regard to the issues on the border with China can be traced back to the time of Prime Minister Nehru," Kohli said.

"Nehru's statements should be recalled about what he said on Aksai Chin and what all happened during the period of the late 50s and early 60s," he said, adding, "Nevertheless, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government has been working to resolve it. And that effort is continuing unabated."

On Monday, a delegation from the Communist Party of China, led by its international department's vice minister Sun Haiyan, visited the BJP headquarters here. During the meeting, a BJP delegation headed by party general secretary Arun Singh discussed at length “the means to advance inter-party communications between the BJP and the Communist Party of China (CPC)".

The Chinese Ambassador to India, Xu Feihong, also joined the CPC delegation.

The Chinese Communist Party delegation on Tuesday called on RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale here, sources said.

The delegates met the RSS second-in-command at 11 am at his office, and their meeting lasted for about an hour, they said.

"It was a courtesy call by them. The request for the meeting had come from the Chinese side," the sources said.

India last Friday criticised China's infrastructure development projects in the Shaksgam Valley, saying it reserves the right to take necessary measures to safeguard its interests as it is an Indian territory.

On Monday, China reaffirmed its territorial claims over the Shaksgam Valley, saying its infrastructure projects in the area are "beyond reproach".

Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta on Tuesday strongly rejected China’s claim over the Shaksgam valley, asserting that the entire region of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) belongs to India. He also asserted that no expansionist attempt would be tolerated.