Congress rebuts EAM Jaishankar's response to ex-chief Rahul Gandhi's remark on IFS cadre

'Indian Foreign Services have changed'- a remark made by former Congress President Rahul Gandhi at the 'Ideas for India' conclave has given rise to a war of words on Saturday. Taking to Twitter, the grand old party's General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala claimed that the IFS officers have become 'subservient to the political masters' in face of what he referred to as 'foreign policy bloopers'.

Congress replies on behalf of Rahul to S Jaishankar 

"Yes, it is called not being able to stand up to China in face of illegal occupation of our territory. Yes, it is called furthering the agenda of a party rather than the Nation," the Congress leader wrote. This came as a reply to the tweet of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in which he had embedded a video of a suited-booted Gandhi from the conclave that was held in London, United Kingdom. In the video, Gandhi can be heard claiming that the Indian Foreign Services have changed. 

"I was talking to some bureaucrats from Europe and they said the IFS has completely changed and won’t listen to anything — they are arrogant. Now they just tell us what orders they are getting, there is no conversation; you can’t do that,” the Member of Indian Parliament from Wayanad said. 

'Foreign Services in India has changed'

Jaishankar expressed his agreement to Gandhi that Foreign Services in India has changed. "Yes, they follow the orders of the Government. Yes, they counter the arguments of others. No, it's not called Arrogance. It is called Confidence. And it is called defending National Interest," the EAM wrote, in what was lauded by many as a 'befitting reply'.