Modi's China visit an 'utter failure': Cong

New Delhi, May 16: Congress today termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's China visit a "complete and utter failure" even as it attacked him over his "obsession" to target opposition parties and leaders repeatedly on foreign soil.

This is "deplorable and unacceptable," AICC said in a strongly-worded statement, adding that Modi "would be well- advised to take off the adversarial 'RSS Pracharak Hat'".

Launching a scathing attack on the Prime Minister, AICC communications department in-charge Randeep Surjewala alleged that Modi has "done it again" by using his China visit "to mount a disgraceful and distasteful attack on the opposition and beating his own drum". "Verbal character assassination of India's achievements of last 67 years on foreign soil by Modi is unacceptable and a 'new low' in practising despicable politics.

"From Canada to China, the Prime Minister continues to repeat this historical blunder with scant regard to dissent, opposition and norms of conduct of the high office of Prime Minister," Surjewala said. "Modi would be well-advised to take off the adversarial 'RSS Pracharak Hat' and truly wear the 'Hat of India's composite culture' as Prime Minister of country," he added.

Claiming that Modi had in the run up to the last Lok Sabha elections challenged the Congress to show "red eyes" to China while dealing with them, Surjewala said, "As he leaves China today, we wonder whether he spoke to the Chinese showing his 'red eyes' on issues of stapled visas to people of Arunachal Pradesh while he extends e-visa facility to Chinese nationals."

Surjewala wondered whether Modi had shown "red eyes" to China over its state television using a map in which Arunachal Pradesh is depicted as being an integral part of China while a large portion of Jammu and Kashmir was denoted as being a part of Pakistan.

He also wondered whether Modi had spoke sternly about the continuous and repeated Chinese incursions into Indian territory and a host of other issues, including construction of dams on the upstream of the Bramhaputra. Citing issues such as the nearly USD 46 billion investment committed by China in Pakistan, including in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, and a nearly USD 40 billion trade imbalance between India and China, Surjewala said, "On most of these issues of national interest, the Prime Minister's visit is a complete and utter failure."

PTI