Political Row Erupts as Congress Slams BJP Over China Meet Amid Shaksgam Valley Claims
A fresh political controversy has emerged over China’s claims on India’s Shaksgam Valley in Jammu and Kashmir, with the Congress accusing the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of “holding meetings” with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Several years ago, the BJP had accused the Congress of “undermining national security” by signing an MoU with the CCP. Now, with Beijing reportedly asserting claims over the Shaksgam Valley, the Congress has turned the tables, accusing the BJP of sending mixed signals to China amid reports of construction activity in the region.
Congress leader Supriya Shrinate criticized the BJP after a delegation of CCP officials met senior party leaders in New Delhi. She highlighted national security concerns, noting China’s ongoing territorial claims and construction activity under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in the Shaksgam Valley.
“China has claimed the Shaksgam Valley of Jammu and Kashmir as its own. Construction has been underway in the name of CPEC. After Ladakh, how has China intruded this far?” Shrinate wrote on X.
She questioned the BJP’s engagement with the CCP, pointing to recent border tensions. “Our brave soldiers were martyred in Galwan. China encroached in Ladakh and settled villages in Arunachal Pradesh. And here, BJP leaders are exchanging hugs with China’s Communist Party,” she added, calling it “treason against the country.”
India’s Objection
India has consistently opposed China’s infrastructure development in the Shaksgam Valley. The Ministry of External Affairs reiterated that the region is Indian territory and that the 1963 China-Pakistan Boundary Agreement is “illegal and invalid.”
“Shaksgam Valley is Indian territory. We do not recognise the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which passes through Indian territory illegally occupied by Pakistan,” spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
The Shaksgam Tract, which spans 5,200 sq km north of the Karakoram watershed, was under Pakistani control since 1947 before being ceded to China. India continues to claim it as part of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
BJP Defends China Engagement
The BJP defended the meeting, calling it an “intra-party dialogue.” Vijay Chauthaiwale, in charge of the party’s Foreign Affairs Department, said the discussions focused on advancing inter-party communication between the BJP and the CCP. The Chinese Ambassador to India, Xu Feihong, also participated in the talks.
Political Context
The controversy revives memories of past political clashes over India-China relations. In 2020, BJP president JP Nadda had accused Congress of compromising national interest by signing an MoU with the CCP in 2008, alleging the party had “surrendered land to China” during sensitive periods like the Doklam standoff.
