TMC leader Sagarika Ghose accused the BJP of double standards for engaging with the Chinese Communist Party despite China’s alleged military support to Pakistan and territorial claims against India.
Her remarks came after a CPC delegation met BJP leaders and senior RSS functionaries in Delhi, marking the first formal party-to-party interaction since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash.
The meetings drew criticism from opposition parties, including the Congress, which questioned the timing of the talks amid continued Chinese activity in disputed border areas.
Trinamool Congress leader Sagarika Ghose on Tuesday criticised the BJP for hosting a delegation of the Communist Party of China (CPC), accusing the ruling party of double standards in its approach to Beijing.
In a post on X, Ghose, the TMC’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, referred to China’s alleged military support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor and its recent territorial claims, including over the Shaksgam Valley. She questioned how the BJP would have responded if an opposition party had held similar talks with the Chinese Communist Party.
“China lends open military support to Pakistan against India during Operation Sindoor and has now claimed the Shaksgam Valley. China has already taken control of parts of Indian territory, yet the BJP welcomes the Chinese Communist Party to its headquarters,” Ghose said.
"Just imagine if an opposition leader or party had done this. Double standards of BJP and its slave media glaringly exposed. Again," she added.
Her remarks came as a CPC delegation met senior leaders of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at its Keshav Kunj headquarters in Delhi on Tuesday, a day after holding discussions with BJP leaders in the capital. The delegation also met RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale.
An RSS functionary described the meeting as a courtesy call held at the request of the Chinese side, adding that there was no formal agenda. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat did not attend as he was travelling.
The interaction is significant given the limited engagement between the RSS and Chinese representatives in recent years. Chinese diplomats were not invited to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s lecture series last August in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor.
The CPC delegation had met BJP leaders on Monday in the first formal party-to-party engagement between the two sides since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash. The BJP delegation was led by general secretary Arun Singh, while the Chinese side was headed by Sun Haiyan, Vice Minister of the CPC’s International Department. Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong was also present.
BJP foreign affairs department in-charge Vijay Chauthaiwale said the discussions focused on strengthening dialogue and communication between the two political parties.
The meetings also drew criticism from the Congress, with party leaders alleging that China continues construction activity in disputed areas while asserting territorial claims. Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate questioned the timing of the talks, saying they took place even as China was behaving aggressively along the border.
The BJP’s engagement with the CPC comes amid continued political exchanges between the ruling party and the opposition over relations with China. Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi have repeatedly accused the government of failing to respond firmly to Beijing’s actions, particularly after the Galwan Valley clashes.
