China blocks bid to ban Masood Azhar: Rahul calls Narendra Modi 'weak', BJP says it's undoing Gandhi family's mistakes

Following reports of China blocking a bid at the United Nations to designate the chief of Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed, Masood Azhar, as a “global terrorist”, a war of words broke out between the BJP and Congress.

While Congress president Rahul Gandhi has alleged that Modi’s foreign policy has been a series of “diplomatic disasters” , the BJP has said that it is “undoing all the mistakes” of the Gandhi family. The opposition party also  slammed China  over the development.

This is the fourth time that China has blocked the move. The proposal to designate Azhar under the 1267 Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council was moved by France, the UK and the US on 27 February, days after a JeM suicide bomber killed at least 42 CRPF soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama, leading to a flare-up in tensions between India and Pakistan.

Rahul on Thursday tweeted:

Weak Modi is scared of Xi. Not a word comes out of his mouth when China acts against India.

NoMo’s China Diplomacy:

1. Swing with Xi in Gujarat

2. Hug Xi in Delhi

3. Bow to Xi in China https://t.co/7QBjY4e0z3

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 14, 2019

The BJP in response tweeted:

China wouldn't be in UNSC had your great grandfather not 'gifted' it to them at India’s cost.

India is undoing all mistakes of your family. Be assured that India will win the fight against terror.

Leave it to PM Modi while you keep cosying up with the Chinese envoys secretly. https://t.co/lAyp12CXBD

— BJP (@BJP4India) March 14, 2019

Additionally, Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad attacked Rahul over his tweet in a press conference on Thursday . Among other criticisms, the law minister accused Rahul of being “happy” when “the whole country is pained by China’s move”.

His comments were supported by BJP leader Ram Madhav, who accused Rahul of “speaking against India.”

“It’s a setback for our fight. Barring China, the whole world is standing with us, everyone criticised them for blocking the move to ban Azhar,” he was quoted as saying by CNN-News18 .

Congress launches combined attack

Rahul Gandhi’s claims in his tweet were backed up by various other Congress leaders:

#ChinaBacksMasood - It's a poor reflection on our govt's ability to influence China. We heard so much about the 'Wuhan spirit' when @narendramodi went & walked in the garden with XI. Where's the Wuhan spirit now? Wasn't definitely not seen at security council : @ShashiTharoor. pic.twitter.com/Qt2qHq6EZ3

— News18 (@CNNnews18) March 14, 2019

A sad day in the global fight against terrorism!

China blocking Masood Azhar's designation as global terrorist reaffirms Chinese position of being an inseparable ally of terrorism’s breeding ground-Pakistan

Sadly,Modiji's Foreign Policy has been a series of Diplomatic Disasters https://t.co/9m08uhjowj

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) March 13, 2019

UN Security Council Resolution 1267

Modiji

What happened to the Wuhan spirit ?

Now that Pakistan's big brother
Has protected Masood Azhar !

— Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) March 14, 2019

Deplorable by China to stab India in the back once again. Would say in hindsight that Modi could have been a bit more firm in his policies & actions. If he thought swinging it will work, Chinese know reverse swing in consonance with Imran. #MasoodAzhar

— Abhishek Singhvi (@DrAMSinghvi) March 14, 2019

PM #Modi allowed #China access to India's sensitive banking system.

He let India's trade deficit with China cross $52 billion.

Despite this, he couldn't convince China to blacklist #MasoodAzhar.

India's diplomatic pull has never been as weak as it is under PM #modi

— Dr. Shama Mohamed (@drshamamohd) March 14, 2019

The Congress also released separate statements against the prime minister on its official Twitter handles:

With China having blocked our bid to designate Masood Azhar a global terrorist, the question on every Indian's mind is, what was the use of all the swinging with Modi & President Xi? A terrorist responsible for such bloody murders is let off the hook again by the BJP. https://t.co/AUwvYXHP2Q

— Congress (@INCIndia) March 14, 2019

For the fourth time, China blocked the designation of Masood Azhar as a global terrorist.
This is an abysmal failure of foreign policy.

Mr Modi's photo ops, hugs and leisurely rocking a swing with President Xi has reaped nothing good for the country. https://t.co/9SaGyI7cy6

— Indian Youth Congress (@IYC) March 14, 2019

In addition, a few other Opposition leaders have also responded to the development:

China places a “technical hold” on Masood Azhar in the UN again! Pakistan gets its way once again.

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) March 13, 2019

Our bullet proof jackets: Chinese fingerprints
Our Staue of Unity: Chinese fingerprints
Masood Azhar’s designation as terrorist blocked: Chinese fingerprints.

Series of foreign policy disasters: Modiji’s fingerprintshttps://t.co/8azODq00OR

— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) March 14, 2019

Meanwhile, Syed Akbaruddin, India’s ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations, thanked the nations who supported the motion to designate Azhar a “global terrorist.”

Big,Small & Many...

1 big state holds up, again ...
1 small signal @UN against terror

Grateful to the many states - big & small - who in unprecedented numbers, joined as co-sponsors of the effort. 🙏🏽

— Syed Akbaruddin (@AkbaruddinIndia) March 13, 2019

Following China’s block, responsible UNSC members have warned they “may be forced to pursue other actions” at the Security Council if Beijing continued with this policy.

With inputs from PTI