Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has questioned PM Modi on national security, economic dependence, and diplomatic outcomes, demanding transparency regarding ongoing border tensions with China and the surge in trade deficits.
Kharge Questions Border and Foreign Policy
New Delhi [India], October 23 (ANI): Launching a sharp attack on the Centre over its border and foreign policy, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge demanded answers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that “enough clean chits” have been given to Beijing and that the Prime Minister must “come clean before India.” In a post on X, the Congress chief posed three key questions to the Prime Minister concerning national security, economic dependence, and diplomatic accountability. Targeting the government on border security, Kharge pointed to reported remarks by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Director General regarding face-offs with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in Arunachal Pradesh. Enough CLEAN CHITS to China. PM Modi must COME CLEAN before India! Three questions demand answers: 1. NATIONAL SECURITY The ITBP DG’s confirmation of continuing PLA face-offs in Arunachal Pradesh is deeply alarming. After Doklam and Galwan, is another serious confrontation unfolding? Reports of Chinese incursions near Taksing emerged in August. Yet, even 47 days after Corps Commander-level talks at Wacha–Damai, reportedly just 180 km away, confrontations continue. Has India’s patrolling access been compromised? Arunachal Pradesh is an inseparable part of India. Why is the nation being kept in the dark? 2. ECONOMIC SECURITY Since Galwan sacrifice of 20 Indian Army bravehearts, (FY2020–21), Chinese imports have surged 102%, while India’s trade deficit with China has ballooned 155% to $112.16 billion. Even Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman admits China obstructs Indian exports. Yet, the Government is easing Chinese investment restrictions and considering PLI benefits for eligible China-linked ventures. Has Make in India become Import from China? 3. DIPLOMATIC ACCOUNTABILITY At least 23 reported Modi–Xi meetings and interactions, 25 Special Representatives’ rounds involving NSA Ajit Doval, 36 WMCC meetings, and successive SCO and BRICS Summits. What tangible results have these engagements delivered? Have India’s pre-May 2020 patrolling rights been fully restored? Our Armed Forces have our complete confidence. But National security demands accountability, not diplomatic photo opportunities & Hugplomacy! Instead of attacking the Opposition, PM Modi must take Parliament and the Nation into confidence. https://t.co/WxHQ2ZtKV4 — Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) October 23, 2026
“The ITBP DG’s confirmation of continuing PLA face-offs in Arunachal Pradesh is deeply alarming. After Doklam and Galwan, is another serious confrontation unfolding? Reports of Chinese incursions near Taksing emerged in August. Yet, even 47 days after Corps Commander-level talks at Wacha–Damai, reportedly just 180 km away, confrontations continue. Has India’s patrolling access been compromised?” Kharge asked, asserting that Arunachal Pradesh is an inseparable part of India and questioning why the nation is being “kept in the dark.”
Economic and Diplomatic Concerns
The Congress president also raised sharp concerns over the surging trade deficit with China, questioning the government’s economic stance following the 2020 Galwan Valley clash. “Since the Galwan sacrifice of 20 Indian Army bravehearts (FY2020–21), Chinese imports have surged 102%, while India’s trade deficit with China has ballooned 155% to $112.16 billion. Even Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman admits China obstructs Indian exports. Yet, the Government is easing Chinese investment restrictions and considering PLI benefits for eligible China-linked ventures. Has Make in India become Import from China?” he said.
On diplomatic engagements, Kharge questioned the ground-level outcomes of multiple bilateral discussions held between the two nations over the years. “At least 23 reported Modi–Xi meetings and interactions, 25 Special Representatives’ rounds involving NSA Ajit Doval, 36 WMCC meetings, and successive SCO and BRICS Summits. What tangible results have these engagements delivered? Have India’s pre-May 2020 patrolling rights been fully restored?” Kharge asked.
Reaffirming the party’s trust in the armed forces, Kharge took a swipe at the government’s outreach efforts, saying that national security cannot rely on optics. “Our Armed Forces have our complete confidence. But National security demands accountability, not diplomatic photo opportunities & Hugplomacy! Instead of attacking the Opposition, PM Modi must take Parliament and the Nation into confidence,” Kharge added.
Accusations from Party Leadership
Earlier, Congress leader Pawan Khera on Friday accused the Centre of surrendering India’s interests to China, questioning what the country had gained from its approach towards Beijing and whether Indian forces could patrol the areas they accessed before April 2020. Addressing a press conference at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) office in the national capital, Khera questioned the Centre over border tensions, trade relations, visa restrictions and the entry of Chinese workers into India.
“What did we get? What status did we get from anti? Can we patrol the points today where we used to patrol before April 2020, or not? In exchange for all this, shouldn’t you have taken something? Or did you just accept that little thing of theirs—that, sir, they will keep your secrets hidden, you will keep on crumbling, you will ruin the MSME of your country…you will do whatever China wants, because you are afraid of China. Just because you are afraid of China, you will keep surrendering India’s interests to China. Whether it is Press Note 3, whether it is travel restrictions that you have removed…whether it is the trade deficit, which has increased from 99 billion dollars to 112 billion dollars, whether it is the visas that were restricted and you’ve suddenly again increased visas for Chinese workers to come here, Chinese officers to come here. What does this do to India? What have we achieved out of this surrender?” he said.
Raising concerns over reports of Chinese incursions in Arunachal Pradesh, Khera questioned the Centre’s claims that the situation was normal and referred to appeals made by residents on social media. The Congress leader further alleged that India was facing pressure from China and the United States, claiming that the Centre was not adequately protecting the country’s interests. “Every day you hear that China has entered Arunachal, people there are taking the help of social media, making emotional appeals there, local rural people… then our minister says, sir, I am swimming by jumping into the river, everything is normal here. What is this normal? This is not normal at all!” he said.
“Tell the DG of ITBP that everything is normal…Tell those 20 families that everything is normal, whose people were martyred. What is the condition of those families? Does anyone have any news? Has anyone inquired about those families?” Khera asked.
Khera also raised the issue of tunnel boring machines, alleging that China had stopped a German company from sending such machines to India, causing losses to the country. “The strong country, the people of the country were with you—I was, I am deliberately saying, now I am not. The country’s soldier is brave, does not fear martyrdom; then why are you scared? That is why we say this secret won’t remain a secret for long. On the other hand, Epstein blackmails—gets blackmailed from Epstein’s files, so surrenders in front of America. Everywhere you are seen getting blackmailed. We kept whatever conditions they had; I put those terms in front of you. There is a tunnel boring machine, TBM. 70% of tunnel boring machines are made in China across the entire world. A German company was making tunnel boring machines; India had to buy them. China stopped its factory from sending them to India… unofficially, first of all, that, we won’t let tunnel boring machines go, stopped it, causing a loss to India,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh had also accused the Centre of making concessions to China and remaining silent on border tensions, alleging that India had lost patrolling points in Arunachal Pradesh. (ANI)
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