Political / India needs a vision but PM 100% focused on building own image: Rahul

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's relentless attack on the government continued today as he tweeted a new video on the Chinese aggression at the border and suggested that India has to "adopt a global vision" to deal with its neighbour. Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he tweeted: "One man's image is not a substitute for a national vision."

The ex-Congress chief's latest tweet, criticising the government, read: "PM is 100% focused on building his own image. India's captured institutions are all busy doing this task. One man's image is not a substitute for a national vision (sic)."

PM is 100% focused on building his own image. India’s captured institutions are all busy doing this task.

One man’s image is not a substitute for a national vision. pic.twitter.com/8L1KSzXpiJ

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 23, 2020

His latest remark comes days after he tweeted: "PM fabricated a fake strongman image to come to power. It was his biggest strength. It is now India's biggest weakness." He referred to China's strategy and the country's plan "to restructure the planet" in a video shared on Monday, along with the tweet. 

In a video message shared today, the Congress MP from Kerala's Wayanad is heard suggesting that India needs to change its approach in dealing with China.

"Psychologically, you have to deal with the Chinese from a position of strength. If you deal with them from a position of strength, you can get what you need. But if they sense weakness, then you had it," he is heard saying.

"The first thing is you can't take on China without a vision, and I mean not just a national vision but an international vision. (China's) Belt and Road initiative is meant to change the nature of the planet. India has to have a global vision. The thing that is going to protect India is thinking big," the 50-year-old politician is heard saying in the video.

"This is the point at which the road parts. That's why I am aggravated... Why? Because we are not thinking long-term, we are not thinking big and we are disturbing our internal balance. We are fighting among each other... just because of politics," he adds.

Justifying his critical remarks on the government's handling of the China issue, he says: "I know the Prime Minister is an opponent. My responsibility is to ask questions and put pressure on him so that he does his work. His responsibility is to give the vision. I can tell you, guaranteed it's not there and that's why China is there today."

The months-long military face-off between India and China had escalated last month after a clash erupted in the high-altitude Galwan Valley in the Ladakh region on June 15 in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed in the line of duty. 

On Monday, BJP chief JP Nadda had lashed out at the Congress leader alleging in a series of angry tweets that his latest "re-launch" has failed.  

Accusing Mr Gandhi of being "weak on facts and strong on mudslinging," Mr Nadda said: "In recent years, be it Doklam or the present, RahulGandhi Ji prefers briefings from the Chinese instead of believing India's armed forces."