Ahead of the all-party meeting called in by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the Indo-China disputes, JDS leader HD Deve Gowda issued his statement regarding the issue.
In the statement which has 6 points pertaining to the matter, HD Deve Gowda appreciated the decision of the Prime Minister decided to call for an all-party meeting. He then listed out 6 suggestions to the central government to tackle the situation. Firstly, he addressed the misinformation that has been rampant in the media. He called for a presentation by a senior serving military officer and a senior serving diplomat which would give the opposition leaders detailed information as they could not bank upon the media for the right information.
About the nationalistic rhetoric in the media, Gowda wrote,
“I sincerely urge that nationalist rhetoric should be toned down. This is not the time for a language of provocation and revenge. Media outlets spreading fake information and cheap rhetoric endanger the lives of our soldiers and diplomatic staff. Social media retribution is of particular concern.”
‘Not A Time For Domestic Politics’
As for the reaction and responses of his fellow opposition leaders, Gowda requested the opposition leader to not use intemperate language and said that this is a time for cooperation. He also said this is not the time for domestic politics. However, he also added that the government should be questioned.
He also said it is the responsibility of the political leadership to ensure public peace and calm the anger among the public. Gowda also raised his concern over the politicization of armed forces in the recent past. He called it to be a dangerous phenomenon. He said,
“When they remain a professional force, they will advise the government of the day fearlessly and correctly. As we are on the topic of the armed forces, it is important to institute an inquiry on the deaths of soldiers in the Galwan valley, and know exactly what led to the tragic events.”
Lastly, Gowda addressed the trend of boycotting the products of China and asked the government to not encourage reactionary languages as it could lead to deep implications. We should be guided by pragmatism, he said.
