'India vulnerable; China, Pakistan together': Gandhi warns
In the midst of a controversy over his "pitai" comment that China had thrashed Indian soldiers in Arunachal, Rahul Gandhi stated that Pakistan and China are working together and that India is "extremely vulnerable."
In a talk with Army veterans, Indian Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claimed that China and Pakistan were working together to prepare a "surprise" for India.
In a recent conversation with Army veterans, Rahul Gandhi stated that if there is ever a war, it will be against both Pakistan and China. Gandhi's YouTube channel posted the video on Sunday.
"India's border situation is linked with the international situation and the border situation is changing... We used to have two enemies - China and Pakistan, and our policy was to keep them separate," Gandhi said adding that this was the idea behind New Delhi's foreign policy.
“When Rajiv Gandhi went there, he also tried that these two (Pakistan and China) do not get together. Earlier, people used to say there should be no two-front war. Then came the concept of a two-and-a-half-front war -- China, Pakistan and terrorism,” he said.
Read next: Pakistan, China reaffirm strong relations
He suggested that there is only one front because "China and Pakistan are together not only militarily but economically as well,” adding the examples of Gwadar and the Belt and Road Initiative.
Gandhi believes that China's economic system is advancing very fast while India's economic situation has gone downhill since 2014.
"There is disturbance, fights, confusion and hatred inside our country. We still have the mindset of a two-and-a-half-front war. We don't have the mindset of joint operability or cyber warfare. India is now extremely vulnerable. China and Pakistan are both preparing a surprise for us. That is why I keep repeating that the government can not keep quiet. The government must inform the entire country what happened on the border. And we have to start taking action today, though we should have started five years ago," Rahul Gandhi said.
Read next: China and Pakistan to boost cooperation and peace efforts
He warned that immediate action must be taken so the country "will not be hurt" and showed concern about the events happening on the borders of Arunachal and Ladakh.
Gandhi's remarks come in the wake of a controversy surrounding his earlier "pitai" speech, in which he claimed Chinese soldiers thrashed Indian troops in Tawang on December 9. Rahul Gandhi was heard in the video expressing his admiration and devotion for the Indian Army.
"I don't just have respect for you but also love and affection for you. You defend this nation. This nation would not exist without you," Rahul Gandhi said to the Army veterans.