Row as Rahul slams govt on China model, US ties

The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Monday attempted to link the apparent failure of the Make in India programme to Chinese aggression at the border, hitting out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over its record in spurring manufacturing and securing defence and alleging that Beijing's belligerence was due to its larger and stronger industrial systems.

- HT Correspondent

In his speech on the floor of the House, Gandhi also triggered a furore when he suggested that the Union government sent foreign minister S Jaishankar to the US to secure an invitation for the Prime Minister to President Donald Trump's inauguration, prompting Jaishankar to accuse the Congress leader of speaking a "falsehood" that could damage the nation.

"The PM has denied, but the army keeps on talking to the Chinese and the Chief of Staff has said the Chinese are inside our territory. People think wars are fought between armies and their weapons. But wars are fought between industrial systems. China has a far stronger industrial system," Gandhi said amid furious protests from the ruling side.

"China is sitting inside our territory because Make in India has failed," he added.

Gandhi's comments on China and the US sparked massive protests and demands that he authenticate (or prove his allegations are genuine). Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla intervened to demand proof for the top Opposition leader's claims.

In the nearly 45-minute speech, Gandhi also presented an alternative vision of what the President's address could have focussed on - including expanding manufacturing, and making young people a part of the technological and energy revolution -rather than being a "laundry list" of government achievements. He also conceded that successive governments, be it the United Progressive Alliance or the National Democratic Alliance, have not been able to tackle unemployment and give a clear cut answer to the youth.