NEW DELHI: In an unusually frank reaction, external affairs minister S
Jaishankar
on Tuesday said that many nations in the
West
want to “influence India because many of these
countries
feel that they have influenced this world for the last 70-80 years”.
Speaking at an event organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the EAM said there are western countries that “actually feel that they influenced the world for the last 200 years, how do you expect someone who’s been in that position to give up those old habits so easily?”
The minister was responding to a question on allegations made against India by Canada and the US of poll interference, and conducting operations on foreign soil.
Jaishankar said these countries “are seeing an India which is not in a sense compliant with their image of how India should be”.
“Western media in some cases have openly endorsed candidates and political parties, they don’t hide their preference … they will reputationally damage you, somebody will bring out an index and put you down in that … they want a certain class of people really to rule India. And I think they are disturbed when the Indian population feels otherwise,” he said.
“Countries which have to go to court to decide the result of their election are giving us lectures about how to conduct the election,” the minister added, to a round of applause. Jaishankar was making a veiled reference to the ongoing legal battle by Donald Trump to overturn the 2020 election results, which he lost to Joe Biden.
On Pakistan-occupied Kashmir
The EAM also spoke about the prevailing tense situation in PoK where there has been sporadic violence and civil unrest.
“Today, there are certain ferments happening in PoK … the analysis of it is very complex but definitely I have no doubt in my own mind that someone living in PoK is comparing their situation with someone living in J&K and saying how people there are progressing nowadays. They know the sense of being under occupation or being discriminated badly…it (PoK) has always been India and it will always be India,” he said.
The minister added that till Article 370 was invoked, there wasn’t much discussion about PoK.
“In 1990’s, some pressure was put on us by Western countries and then at that time Parliament unanimously passed a resolution on PoK, after public interest in this country receded … When we actually moved on Article 370 and finally put an end to what was a temporary provision of the Constitution, which should never have continued for that long and which was in a way fueling the separatism, violence and terrorism,” said Jaishankar.
On China and LAC
On the topic of China and rising border tensions, Jaishankar said the deployment of forces at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China is “abnormal” and the security of the country should not be disregarded.
“After 1962, Rajiv Gandhi went to China in 1988 in many ways that were the key step towards normalising the ties (with China) … there was a clear understanding that we will discuss our boundary differences but we will maintain peace and tranquillity on the border. And the rest of the relationship will carry on,” the minister said.
Since then, it has been the basis of the relationship with China, he said.
“What changed now is what happened in 2020. In 2020, the Chinese, in violation of multiple agreements, brought a large number of forces to our border and they did it at the time when we were under COVID lockdown,” he said.
Jaishankar said “India responded by counter deployment of forces” and for four years now, forces have been deployed ahead of the normal base positions at Galwan.
“This is a very abnormal deployment along the LAC. Given the tension between the two countries… As Indian citizens, none of us should disregard the security of the country…it is today a challenge,” he said.
(With inputs from agencies)
