Former MLA Rakesh Kalia returns to Congress after a brief stint in BJP
He joined the BJP in 2022 after being denied a Congress ticket to contest the Assembly elections from Gagret in Himachal Pradesh.
The Congress on Monday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state Gujarat has become the “epicentre of Chinese investment in India” and said there cannot be business as usual with China after its forces killed 20 Indian soldiers. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said Gujarat has signed three major MoUs in the last five years involving Rs 43,000-crore investment, which includes an industrial park for Chinese SMEs (small and medium enterprises).
He claimed that business has not stopped in the last 20 days and cargo flights continue to operate between the two countries.
“There cannot be business as usual with the country, which is transgressing our territory, to protect which our brave hearts are sacrificing their lives. These are questions that the Prime Minister must answer and respond to,” he asked at a virtual press conference.
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Pawan Khera said there are various methods of applying pressure on a “hostile” nation and since Gujarat has witnessed record investments from China, “now is the time to use that pressure”.
“Gujarat has become the epicenter of Chinese investment in India… On the one hand, our brave army is pushing the PLA back from the Ladakh border and on the other hand, PSUs (public sector undertakings) continue to give contracts to Chinese companies. We see Gujarat is becoming the hub of Chinese investment. We see that the process of Chinese investment in Gujarat continues,” he said.
The Congress leader said the Prime Minister will, therefore, be asked if he “has a special fondness for China”.
“We grant him that, we have no problem, he has invested in the relationship for two decades, we understand that also, provided the country’s borders remain safe, the country’s economy remains safe from China,” he said.
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