Pralhad Joshi slams Rahul Gandhi's 'PR driven media strategy' jibe on Centre's handling of China

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his comments on the Centre's handling of China, stating that "if we have lost our land to China before it is because of Congress party and its wrong policies from 1962".

"At least Rahul Gandhi and Congress should not raise this issue. If we have lost our land to China before it is because of Congress party and its wrong policies from 1962. They should first sort their party matters and then talk," Joshi told on Monday on being asked about Rahul Gandhi's tweet.

On Monday, Rahul had cited a news report which hinted at the "renewed China threat in Doklam", claiming the Chinese authorities have set up a village inside Bhutanese territory.

In a tweet, the Congress leader had said: "China's geopolitical strategy cannot be countered by a PR (Public Relations) driven media strategy. This simple fact seems to elude the minds of those running GOI (Government of India)."Wayanad MP's response came days after Bhutan rejected the report claiming the setting up of a Chinese village inside its territory."There is no Chinese village inside Bhutan," Major General Vetsop Namgyel, Bhutanese Ambassador to India, had told .Earlier, Shen Shiwei, CGTN News producer, had tweeted, "Now, we have permanent residents living in the newly established Pangda village. It's along the valley where 35 km south to Yadong county." Later the tweet was removed.The Pangda village lies 2 kilometres within Bhutanese territory.In 2017, India and China were engaged in a 73-day standoff in Doklam after Chinese troops were building a road from their territory to the Jhamphiri ridgeline.Currently, the Chinese and Indian troops are engaged in a stand-off since early May along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.The situation along the LAC deteriorated in June following the Galwan Valley clash in which both sides suffered casualties.

( With inputs from ANI )