Words can be turned into weapons. India’s prime minister, who prides himself on his formidable oratorical skills, seems to have ignored this possibility. In June, a few days after the clash with China at the border in Ladakh that cost the lives of 20 Indian soldiers, Narendra Modi had informed an all-party meeting that India’s territory remained free from intrusion. Since then, there is mounting evidence to suggest that Mr Modi had been economical with the truth. Both the foreign ministry and, equally suggestively, the army have expressed grave concern about the situation on the ground. Several assessments have suggested that China has gobbled up Indian land near Pangong Lake, Hot Springs and the Depsang Plains. But the most damaging consequence of Mr Modi’s distorted account of events unfolded at the Union defence minister’s recent meeting with his Chinese counterpart in Moscow. Beijing, without naming the Indian prime minister, continued to stonewall New Delhi’s rightful insistence on restoring the status quo by weaponizing Mr Modi’s words, suggesting that the allegations of incursion by Chinese soldiers into Indian territory are unsubstantiated. The prime minister’s public utterance has handed Beijing a potential weapon to neuter India’s diplomatic thrusts, putting New Delhi on the defensive. The hopes of a resolution during the talks between India’s foreign minister and a Chinese diplomat are dim. Mr Modi can certainly take credit for the impasse.
This, however, is not only a diplomatic or military crisis. There is an additional dimension that must not escape public attention. Mr Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party never stop displaying their ‘patriotic’ hearts on their sleeves. One of the hallmarks of patriotism is a government’s commitment to truth and transparency. Mr Modi, as an elected prime minister, is mandated to let the people know the truth about Galwan and the simmering border situation. But transparency, be it on issues like the floundering economy or a heated border, is not the prime minister’s forte. With generous help from a supine media, the government, characteristically, is busy demonizing those raising searching questions about the serious lapses committed by Mr Modi on China. Ironically, the motto of the nation that Mr Modi has been given the responsibility of serving claims the triumph of truth. Perhaps this bit of Upanishadic wisdom does justice to the spirit of Old — not New — India.