Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Kiren Rijiju spar in House over China acts on border

The Lok Sabha witnessed verbal exchanges between Congress House leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and law minister Kiren Rijiju over the Chinese Army's activities on the Indian border. Participating in the debate on the motion of thanks to the President's address, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the House, Chowdhury said, "China has started encroaching into Indian territories and have started construction of buildings on the Indian side. The Pentagon said so."

Rijiju intervened to refute the Congress leader's charge. "Why do you question Indian sources? Indian sources don't say so. Our Army has already clarified regarding the territory and all the junctions that are in question."

Chowdhury targeted the government over inflation, communal tension and underlined the need for strengthening institutions, including an independent judiciary, to ensure internal stability. He said while the government was trying to appropriate the legacy of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, historic facts showed how the Hindu Maha Sabha and Savarkar opposed Netaji's fight against the British. Chowdhury said an attempt was on to create communal divide in the country. "They have started the Hindutva movement. Some people now even worship Godse. This country belongs to all of us and let us save it," he said.


Earlier in the day, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi rejected Z category security bestowed on him after a bid on his life at a UP tollbooth on Thursday. The MP told the Lok Sabha on Friday what he wanted was 'A category citizenship'. He cautioned the government against 'radicalisation of the right-wing' and demanded to know whether the two who fired at him would be booked under the stringent UAPA, imposed in several cases in UP. Commerce minister Piyush Goyal said that home minister Amit Shah will make a statement on the incident on Monday.

"I don't fear death. I don't want Z category security. I reject it. Make me an 'A category' citizen. I'll not remain silent. Please do justice," Owaisi said after a meeting with the Speaker.