BJP relying on 'rhetoric and yajnas' instead of protecting India's security interests, alleges Congress

New Delhi: The Congress on Saturday accused the central government of having “utterly failed” on the national security front and said instead of taking strategic steps to protect India’s interests, it was relying upon rhetoric and yajnas. [caption id=“attachment_4330749” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Reuters[/caption] The party’s communications in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged that the government has abdicated its duties in protecting the country’s borders and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has instead resorted to self-propagation of his strategies. His reply at a Congress briefing came in response to a question on BJP MP Maheish Girri’s announcement to hold a yagna to ward off “conspiracies by inimical forces”. “Instead of taking strategic and diplomatic steps for protecting India’s national interests, they (central government) are relying upon rhetoric and yajnas. This is typical of all symbolism and no delivery style of the government,” he said. Last month, Girri had announced that a week-long ‘Vedic yagya’ will be organised from 18 March at the Red Fort to blunt “conspiracies” by forces “inimical” to the country and said President Ram Nath Kovind and the prime minister have been invited for it. Surjewala alleged that the government has abdicated its solemn duty to protect India’s borders both from external and internal threats and said the prime minister has “utterly failed” to stop the Pakistan-sponsored terror that is taking the lives of Indian jawans and civilians on a daily basis. “While yajnas and offering prayers are part of our philosophy and faith, the government cannot abdicate its duties towards national security by just holding yajnas,” the Congress leader said. “Modi ji is so busy in self-propagation of his strategies that he is blind to the threats on our eastern, western and northern borders which have become extremely volatile because the Chinese government has aggressively infringed upon India’s territory and caused serious concern by fortifying its military position on the Doka La plateau,” he said. Surjewala said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is passing through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and the Chinese now have a presence both at Gwadar Port in Pakistan and Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka. “Yet the BJP government remains a mute spectator and is relying upon rhetoric and yajnas,” he said.