Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Uttar Pradesh (UP) unit chief Swatantra Dev Singh has claimed that Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has “decided” on a time when India would be at war with Pakistan and China.
A minister in UP Chief Minister (CM) Yogi Adityanath’s cabinet, Swatantra Dev Singh made the remark during an event at the home of BJP’s Sikanderpur lawmaker Sanjay Yadav.
In a video clip of Swatantra Dev Singh’s remarks, the BJP’s UP chief draws parallels between the abrogation of Article 370 in held Kashmir, construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya where the Babri Masjid once stood, and the ongoing India-China military standoff in eastern Ladakh.
“Like the decisions on Ram Mandir and Article 370, PM Narendra Modi has decided when there would be war with Pakistan and China,” news agency PTI quoted Swatantra Dev Singh as saying in a video posted on social media by Yadav.
The BJP leader’s controversial remarks come amid an intense standoff between the Indian and Chinese armies in eastern Ladakh. Both countries have held multiple rounds of diplomatic and military talks to achieve disengagement in the region.
However, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s statement on Sunday contradicts the remarks made by Swatantra Dev Singh. While reiterating that India is seeking an end to the border tussle with China, Singh had said that New Delhi will not allow anyone to take away “even an inch” of Indian land.
Launching an attack on the BJP-led Centre, Congress lawmaker Shashi Tharoor tweeted:
“Amazing. So the PM (who will not even name the state that has encroached upon our land) is planning a war against an Unnamed Enemy, over territory he claims has never been taken, on a date that only he knows? So is this what he meant by “minimal government”!?” he said while referring to Swatantra Dev Singh’s remarks.
