BJP slams Left leaders for attending Chinese embassy event celebrating CCP centenary

New Delhi:  The presence of Left leaders at an online event organized by the Chinese embassy to mark the centenary of the Communist Party of China sparked a row with the BJP accusing Left parties of harboring extraterritorial loyalties and opposing national interests.

Meanwhile, the Left defended the decision, pointing out that the government is engaged with China on several issues and accusing the BJP of bringing it up to divert attention from the failures of the government.

The Chinese embassy said it organized an online seminar on July 27 to mark the centenary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party. CPI(M)’s Sitaram Yechury, CPI’s D Raja, DMK MP S Senthilkumar, and All India Forward Bloc’s (AIF) G Devarajan were among those who attended.

Dilip Ghosh, BJP MP and the West Bengal unit’s president criticized the Left parties for attending the event at a time when India is engaged in a border stand-off with China. In his view, he had seen communist agitations for decades and observed how they raised slogans and protested in support of Vietnam when the US had invaded it and claimed that they were also loyal to Russia and China, but not to India. ‘They also have had extraterritorial loyalties. They used to say that China’s chairman is our chairman,’ Ghosh said to reporters.

In response, Raja said the communists should not be taught about national interest. ‘The communists were at the forefront of the fight against the British and Portuguese. We made supreme sacrifices for the independence of the country… No one can challenge us. What was the role of the BJP, Jana Sangh or RSS in the fight for India’s independence? They are raising this issue now to divert attention from their failures in Parliament,’ said Raja.

Raja also said the government itself has engaged China on several issues. ‘The government is participating in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, BRICS meetings and its economic cooperation with China is ongoing,’ he said.

Taking a swipe at Left party leaders, Ghosh noted that West Bengal does not have one Lok Sabha MP or MLA, despite the Left party ruling the state for decades until 2011.