Congress trashes Chinese daily's comment that Narendra Modi will help improve ties

NEW DELHI: Congress today trashed a Chinese newspaper's comment that Sino-India ties will further improve if Narendra Modi becomes the next Prime Minister.

The party noted that the remarks of the BJP Prime Ministerial candidate have already led to "unnecessary alarm" in Bangladesh and "adverse comments" in Pakistan.

"It is the (same) Global Times which had written an article sometimes back that India should not forget 1962" war with China, Congress spokesman Shashi Tharoor told reporters here.

He was commenting on a write-up in the state-run Chinese newspaper that if Modi comes to power, it could bring India and China closer.

Tharoor, a former UN Under Secretary General, claimed that the words that Modi has been using for the international affairs have "not been properly responsible."

"Certainly he has created an unnecessary alarm in Bangladesh. There have been adverse comments made in Pakistan," he said.

If somebody is aspiring to be the PM of this country, they should have a sense of responsibility when they speak about India's position in the world, Tharoor said.

".......the BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate has not so far offered much encouragement to those who might like to believe that he is capable of stewarding the country's fortunes in the neighborhood and beyond," he said.

On India-China relations, he said that the bilateral relationship has a great importance for both the countries. "It is based amongst other things on a very-very significant level of trade, as you know, has been increasing every year for the last 30 years. In fact the level of trade has increased 250 times what it was just 25 years ago", he said.

He said China has been having close relations with India under UPA rule.

"So, I certainly hope that whoever becomes the Prime Minister after Dr. Manmohan Singh will look after India's relations with China, Bangladesh and Pakistan but I do not expect it to be Modi.", he added.