Congress Launches Scathing Attack on Jaishankar Over US Map Controversy
The Congress party on Friday launched a sharp criticism against External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, accusing him of failing to protect India's diplomatic interests following reports of a deletion of an Indian map by the United States. The controversy centers on a map that depicted the entire region of Jammu and Kashmir, including Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), as part of India.
Khera Questions Government Silence on Map Removal
Congress leader Pawan Khera took to social media platform X to question the government's silence after a spokesperson for Pakistan's Foreign Office claimed credit for the removal of the map by the United States. "A spokesperson of Pakistan's Foreign Office claimed credit for the deletion of an Indian map by the United States - a map that depicted the entire region of Jammu and Kashmir, including Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), as part of India. Yet we haven't heard a word on this from our Ministry of External Affairs," Khera wrote, providing context to his criticism.
Direct Challenge to Jaishankar's Role and Effectiveness
Targeting Jaishankar directly, Khera added: "I have asked this before, and I will ask it again: What exactly does the 'Forum Minister' do? Is his job limited to delivering speeches at international fora or does it also include doing some substantive work for India's interests?" In an earlier post, Khera had criticized the minister's foreign engagements, stating that taxpayers fund his lavish trips while he shows "a big fat zero" for his efforts.
Broader Concerns About India's Diplomatic Standing
Further listing his concerns, Khera wrote about multiple diplomatic challenges facing India: "In a latest interview, Trump again claimed he used trade and tariffs to threaten Modi to stop Operation Sindoor. India has been arm twisted to stop buying Russian Oil. We continue to lose the battle of narratives against Pakistan - the US Trade Representative Office has deleted a map showing the entire Jammu and Kashmir (including PoK) as a part of India. What is Jaishankar doing? Is he doing something at all?"
Origin of the Map Controversy
The controversy stems from a map released by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) alongside the announcement of an interim trade agreement framework between India and the US. The map had shown the entire Jammu and Kashmir region, including PoK, as part of India and also depicted Aksai Chin within Indian territory.
The release of the map was seen by some analysts as a significant departure from earlier US depictions, which often marked these areas as disputed. However, following claims by Pakistan that the map was later deleted, opposition leaders have questioned the Centre's response and Jaishankar's handling of the situation.
India's Consistent Position on Jammu and Kashmir
India has consistently maintained that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country and does not require external validation of its sovereignty. The current controversy highlights ongoing tensions in how international entities represent the region and the political responses to such representations.
The Congress party's criticism comes amid broader political debates about India's foreign policy effectiveness and the government's handling of diplomatic challenges on the global stage.
