Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Friday, 26 June, launched a fresh salvo at the Centre amid tensions between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), saying the "government cannot shirk its responsibility of securing our borders" when there is a crisis going on.
In a video message, the Congress chief questioned PM Modi's remark that there were no foreign incursions into India, made after an all-party meeting held last week to discuss the situation at the border.
The country wants to know if China has not captured our land in Ladakh, as claimed by the PM, she said, going on to question why the 20 Indian soldiers were killed.
“The PM says China didn’t infiltrate, but on the other hand, the Defence Ministry and the External Affairs Ministry keep discussing it. Today, when we’re paying tribute to our martyrs, then India wants to know why and how our 20 soldiers were killed (in Galwan Valley).”Sonia Gandhi, as quoted by ANI
"Is our territorial integrity being violated by China in Ladakh? Will the PM take the nation into confidence on the situation at the border?" she was further quoted by PTI as saying.
After the all-party meet held last Friday, PM Modi had indicated that China did not cross the border or take over any Indian post.
A day later, the PMO had clarified that his "observations that there was no Chinese presence on our side of the LAC pertained to the situation as a consequence of the bravery of our armed forces", as it denounced "attempts to give mischievous interpretation" to Modi's remarks at the meeting.
‘Speak the Truth’: Rahul Gandhi
Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, have slammed PM Modi and his government over its handling of the standoff with China.
On Friday, Rahul asked the PM to "speak the truth", saying, "If China has captured our land, but the PM says no land has been taken by them, it will benefit China."
The tensions between the two countries reached its peak when a violent clash broke out at the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on the night of 15 June, leading to the death of 20 Indian Army personnel, including a Commanding Officer.
Reports indicated that China too suffered casualties, but no toll has officially been released by the Chinese authorities.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI.)
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