The Congress wasted no time in taking a swipe at ”The Frequently Flying (and more frequently lying) Prime Minister” and pointing to the strife-torn Manipur as Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Tokyo on Friday on a two-day visit.
Modi will hold summit talks with his Japanese counterpart Shigeru Ishiba in Japan.
His visit to China that will follow for a summit that will also have Russian President Vladimir Putin along with Xi Jinping, is being followed with keen interest across the globe, mainly because US President Donald Trump’s administration has been going hammer and tongs at New Delhi over its buying of Russian crude and what Washington calls “dragging” of trade negotiations.
"PM Narendra Modi has landed in Tokyo, Japan. PM will be holding wide-ranging discussions with PM Shigeru Ishiba later in the evening to advance the India-Japan partnership," the ministry of external affairs said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
In his pre-departure statement, Prime Minister Modi said his visit to Japan would be an opportunity to strengthen civilisational bonds and cultural ties between the two countries.
After landing in Tokyo, the prime minister posted on X early Friday morning India time: “Deeply touched by the warmth and affection of the Indian community here in Tokyo. Their commitment to preserving our cultural roots while contributing meaningfully to Japanese society is truly commendable.
“In a few hours from now, will be interacting with a group of business leaders with a focus on adding vigour to India-Japan trade and investment ties,” he added.
From Japan, Modi will travel to China on a two-day visit to attend the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Tianjin on August 31 and September 1.
“I am confident that my visits to Japan and China would further our national interests and priorities, and contribute to building fruitful cooperation in advancing regional and global peace, security, and sustainable development," he said in his pre-departure statement.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday morning shot off a post dripping with sarcasm to target the prime minister.
“The Frequently Flying (and more frequently lying) Prime Minister is off to Japan and China,” Ramesh wrote.
“His visit to China is a moment of some reckoning for India. We are being forced to normalise relations with China -- largely on their terms, with China trying to take advantage of the downturn in Indo-US ties as well.”
He pointed out: “China's jugalbandi with Pakistan during Operation Sindoor - revealed by our own military establishment itself - has been forgotten. The extraordinarily bizarre statement of the Prime Minister of June 19, 2020, when he proclaimed that “Na koi hamari seema mein ghus aaya hai, na hi koi ghusa hua hai” greatly hurt our negotiating strength. It left us with little room to manoeuvre and this visit, despite the failure to restore the pre-April 2020 status quo, is the inevitable result of that notorious and cowardly clean chit.
“Even as the PM jets off abroad, the long-suffering people of Manipur are still awaiting his visit there to heal the wounds of May 2023,” Ramesh continued.
“But the PM simply and stubbornly refuses to engage with the state, its political parties and leaders, civil society organisations, and the people themselves. He has simply washed his hands off Manipur - which stands as a tragic testimony to the blundering of the Union Home Minister,” he added.