There Was a Time When Jawaharlal Nehru Said India Second, China First, Claims S Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar took aim at Jawaharlal Nehru, attributing past errors to current dilemmas such as Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) and China's occupation of Indian territory.

Referring to India's stand when it was offered a permanent seat in the UN Security Council, he claimed there was a time when Nehru, the country's first prime minister, said India second, China first.

Addressing the audience at the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Jaishankar responded to a query regarding India's stance on the status of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) and territories occupied by China.

In recent days, BJP leaders have notably directed criticism towards past Congress governments led by Nehru and Indira Gandhi regarding the relinquishment of the island of Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka.

In 1950, (then home minister) Sardar Patel had warned Nehru about China. Patel had told Nehru that today for the first time we are facing a situation on two fronts (Pakistan and China) which India had never faced earlier. Patel also told Nehru that he does not believe what the Chinese are saying as their intentions seem different and we should take precautions, the minister said.

Nehru replied to Patel that you are unnecessarily suspicious of the Chinese. Nehru also said it is impossible for anybody to attack us from the Himalayas. Nehru was totally dismissive (about Chinese threat), Jaishankar said, adding that everyone knows what happened subsequently.

If you know that the judge is partial, would you go to seek justice from him? But that's what happened, the issue was taken to the UN and immediately a lot of pressure came to stop the military exercise (to reclaim POK), he said, adding today we have ended up in these situations due to mistakes of the past.