'China occupied land in 1962': Minister Jaishankar takes a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi

Taking at dig at former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday (January 28) said the part of Indian territory which the Wayanad MP is claiming has been captured by China "was in fact occupied in 1962".

Jayashankar also asserted that misinformation has been spread by some people about China politics just to achieve their political aim.

It may be recalled that in 2022, it was claimed by Rahul Gandhi that "100 square kilometres of Indian territory" was given by PM Narendra Modi to China "without a fight." He had also asked the PM Modi-led government at the Centre to discuss the steps which it is going to take in order to retrieve these lands. Recently, in an interaction with actor-turned-politician Kamal Hassan, Rahul had reiterated that "China has taken 2,000 sqm, but our Prime Minister Modi has not said anything".

"Sometimes, they talk about some land which was taken by China in 1962. But they will not tell you the truth. They will give you the impression that this thing happened yesterday," the foreign minister said.

"If you want to ask why they have no confidence, why are they misleading people, why do they spread the wrong khabar (news) about China? How can I answer these questions? Because I know they are also doing politics. Sometimes they deliberately spread such news that they know is not true," Jaishankar added.

The External Affairs Minister also slammed Rahul for his 2017 meeting with the Chinese envoy when India and China were engaged in a standoff.

"Also, if I would need to know something (on China), I won't go to the Chinese ambassador to get input, but to my military leadership," Jaishankar noted.