“China is not India’s enemy,” said Sam Pitroda, the head of the Congress Overseas Unit, sparking a new controversy. He stated that India should stop considering China as an enemy. However, does this opinion align with Congress’s historical stance? In 1962, India lost over 41,000 square kilometers of land in the Aksai Chin region to China, which was given to China by India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. At that time, China waged war and unilaterally seized Indian territory, with New Delhi unaware of the situation until a month later.
The 2020 China-India confrontations were part of the ongoing military standoff between the two nations. From May 5, 2020, Indian and Chinese soldiers engaged in aggressive actions and clashes along the China-India border. In the June 16, 2020, battle, 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives. How can China be considered a friend when part of India’s Kashmir is under Chinese control, which Pakistan had given to China in 1947? How could such land, which rightfully belongs to India, be given away freely? Despite India having control over the area twice, China still threatened to block former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh from visiting Arunachal Pradesh.
Sam Pitroda made his controversial remarks while speaking to the news agency IANS, claiming he did not understand the threat posed by China. He also blamed the United States for creating an adversarial perception about China.
