Tharoor praises Modi govt’s G20 diplomacy, decries China policy

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday praised the Narendra Modi government’s success in making G20 a “buzzword”, but expressed concerns over the country’s China policy beyond the ban on Chinese apps. Speaking at the CNN-News18 Delhi Town Hall, the Thiruvananthapuram MP opined that the united Opposition must come out with a Common Minimum Programme if it has to take on the BJP in 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

“India did brilliantly; full credit for seizing the (G20) opportunity and highlighting India. The globe can’t ignore India anymore. PM Modi’s foreign policy has evolved,” he said.

Tharoor added that there should not be politics over national security, but alleged that the government had seemingly given China “a free pass” for transgressions against India.

“Ties with China are at a crossroads. There is no clarity from the government on China policy. There is no discussion on China in Parliament. The ban on Chinese apps was just tokenism.”

Asked about the Opposition’s attempts to forge an anti-BJP front for General Elections next year, Tharoor said the bloc must come out with a common minimum programme.

“We must not divide votes tackling the BJP and should come with a common minimum programme. There was tremendous sense of common cause in Patna,” he said referring to the opposition’s first meeting hosted by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on June 23.

Centred around the theme ‘Exploring India’s Path to 2024 Elections’, the primary focus of the Town Hall is understanding how political parties plan to captivate the attention of the voters. The discussions will revolve around various topics such as policies, manifestos, and strategies employed by each party. Through this discourse, the event will aim to gauge preparations of participating parties for General Elections 2024. Moreover, it will shed light on the steps they intend to take for the welfare of citizens.

After its successful run with four editions in 2022, ‘CNN-News18 Town Hall’ has become a prominent platform for policy makers, opinion leaders and prominent voices in India. CNN-News18’s commitment to delivering unbiased news and facilitating informed conversations makes this event an invaluable opportunity for political leaders and viewers alike.

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