"Will Govt summon Chinese delegation or remain pleasant and superficial?" SP MP Rajeev Rai questions Centre

Reflecting on the BRICS Parliamentary Forum hosted at Samvidhan Sadan in New Delhi, MP Rajeev Rai stressed that international forums must go beyond mere statements and deliver tangible, collective action.

"Every country has presented its views, as is customary at such conferences. What matters is not what each country said, but rather how sincerely and collectively all nations will implement the points raised and the resolutions adopted here todaythat is what is truly significant," Rai told ANI.

Demanding clarity on India's diplomatic posture toward China amid the proceedings, Rai posed a direct question to the Union Government,"Furthermore, for all 140 crore of us, a key question arises: will the Government of India summon the Chinese delegation to register a formal protest or convey its stance, or will everything remain pleasant and superficial?"

This comes after a fresh political and security debate has emerged over the situation along the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh.Meanwhile, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju denied allegations that Chinese troops had intruded 60 kilometres into Indian territory, attributing reports to differing territorial claims between local border communities, while acknowledging heightened Chinese activity along high mountain ridges.

The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday had clarified the government's position after reports of continuing PLA face-offs in Arunachal Pradesh.

The MEA in its briefing on Friday said, "Insofar as the specifics are concerned, I would refer you to the Ministry of Defence. As we have noted in the past, the situation in the India-China border areas gets disturbed from time to time when Chinese forces diverge from established patrolling patterns. Both sides continue to use existing diplomatic and military mechanisms to resolve outstanding issues and avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation along the Line of Actual Control. The two sides have also agreed to discuss ways to improve understanding of LAC in appropriate areas for better border management. I would also like to emphasise that the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas is essential for the overall development of bilateral relations."

On August 25 this year, the 25th Round of Talks between the Special Representatives (SR) of India and China on the Boundary Question was held in Beijing. The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to uphold the guidance received from the leaders of the two countries, maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas and create an atmosphere for healthy and steady development of bilateral relations.

The two sides also underlined their commitment to advancing negotiations on a framework for the settlement of the boundary question in accordance with the Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for Settlement of the India-China Boundary Question signed in 2005 and the consensus reached in subsequent SR Talks in pursuit of a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution.

The two sides further agreed that any situation on the ground would be addressed promptly through existing diplomatic and military channels, including the WMCC, local commanderlevel meetings and other agreed mechanisms, to resolve outstanding issues and avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation along the LAC.

Transitioning to domestic political dynamics, Rai addressed recent statements by Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav regarding seat-sharing negotiations for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

Dismissing friction over seat quotas among alliance partners, Rai emphasised winnability and collaborative strategy."The issue is not about the number of seats, but about securing a win. We will sit down and discuss the allocation seat by seat."

Rai charged that developmental progress in Uttar Pradesh had ground to a halt over the past decade under the current administration."The alliance will pave the way for a new government in the upcoming 2027 electionsa government that can get the wheels of genuine development moving again, which had come to a halt ten years ago. The era of empty rhetoric, lies, and the peddling of hatred must come to an end, allowing the momentum of development to resume," he added.

The 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum was hosted by the Indian Parliament on October 2627 under India's 2026 BRICS Chairship, chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Centred around the theme of "Strengthening Parliaments for People-Centric Development," the high-profile gathering brought together parliamentary leaders and delegations from member and partner nations to deliberate on institutional resilience, ethical AI, digital transformation, and global governance reform. (ANI)