While Govt of India asked citizens ‘not to visit’ Turkey, Congress party opens new office there

It seems that there is nothing Indian about the Indian National Congress. The party over the years has been constantly working against India’s cause and regularly toeing Pakistan’s line. It has stepped up its efforts to discredit India ever since it lost power at the Centre, from Rahul Gandhi going against the government and meeting the Chinese envoy to the Congress delegation meeting the Labour Party of the United Kingdom who have constantly criticised India over the Kashmir issue and has openly sided with Pakistan.

The latest step taken by Congress comes at a time when the relations between India and Turkey are at an all-time low owing to the latter’s stance on Kashmir. As India has moved to hit back Turkey over its stance through a series of diplomatic moves, Congress has now opened an office in Turkey to deepen the bilateral ties between the two nations which are in direct contrast to the government’s stance on Kashmir.

The INC’s Indian Overseas Congress(IOC) has opened an office in Turkey with Mohammad Yusuf Khan tasked to preside over the IOC in Turkey. The party released a statement which claimed, “He will help build IOC organization & institution in Turkey. In this capacity, Khan will identify and work with qualified, capable, committed and concerned people to lead our various initiatives.” The statement further read that Khan will work with others to lead various initiatives of Congress, especially ‘polish bilateral relations between India and Turkey’ with emphasis on politics, culture, trade, tourism, education and health.

The timing of such a move is of great significance. Turkey President Erdogan who has systematically destroyed the country’s democratic fabric and has turned a dictator riled India in his speech at the UNGA where he claimed, “Despite the resolutions adopted, Kashmir is still besieged and eight million people are stuck in Kashmir.” India hit back firmly as the Prime Minister cancelled his scheduled visit to Turkey and now India is all set to follow it up with scrapping of the 2.3 billion US Dollars defence deal with the Turkish shipyard.

A shift in India’s stance became visible towards Turkey became evident soon after Erdogan’s Kashmir remarks at the 74th session of the UNGA itself, when the Indian Prime Minister had met the Armenia PM Nikol Pashinyan and Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades on the sidelines of the event. Both countries have been wronged by Turkey in the past. Apart from meeting Armenian and Cypriot leaders, PM Modi also met his Greek counterpart as Erdogan cosied up to Pakistan. Greece and Turkey have long had strained relations.

Recently, India also issued an advisory to its citizens visiting Turkey, asking them to “exercise utmost caution” while visiting the Middle East country.

The Indian Embassy in Ankara, the capital of Turkey tweeted, “Government of India has been receiving queries from Indian nationals on travelling to Turkey in view of the situation in the region. Although there have been no reports of untoward incidents in the country so far involving Indian nationals, travellers are requested to exercise utmost caution while travelling to Turkey,” Helpline numbers of the Indian Embassy and Consulate General of Istanbul have been mentioned for those requiring assistance whilst travelling to Turkey.

The Turkish Tourism Board in India had revealed that between January to July this year, there had been a 56% increase in the number of Indian tourist arrivals in comparison to the same period last year, hosting 130,000 Indian visitors. Therefore, this move which subtly aims to stop the Indian tourists from visiting Turkey could hit the country really hard and make Erdogan wonder that he had unnecessarily riled up the Modi government.

It is important to note that the IOC is headed by Gandhi family confidant Sam Pitroda who has in the past attempted to whitewash the 1984 anti-Sikh riots by saying “Hua to Hua” and even toed Pakistan’s line post the Balakot airstrikes and demanded proof from the Indian Army and hence, it should be of no surprise that Congress is attempting to get close to Pakistan’s close ally Turkey. A Congress-mukt Bharat is fast turning into a necessity as the party continues to work as a proxy for India’s rivals.