Opposition Turns Heat On Government, Questions Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Silence In China Stand- Off

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In a hard-hitting attack  the Congress has hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government over killing of three Indian Army personnel in violent clashes with Chinese in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley and said that the government remained a “mute spectator” over Chinese transgressions.

“The reports of brazen Chinese transgressions at three places in Ladakh into Indian territory since April and May 2020 have caused grave concern in the nation but Modi government has remained a mute spectator. The transgressions reported in Galwan river valley, hot springs and Pangong Tso lake area in Ladakh. There can be no compromise with the India’s security and territorial sovereignty,” Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said.

“Reports of Chinese Army moving thousands of troops in Galwan river valley and Pangong Tso area in Ladakh have shocked the entire nation as an audacious attempt on our territorial integrity. In last five decades, not a single casualty or martyrdom of our jawans have occurred or happened on the Indo-China border. i.e. Line of Actual Control,” he said.

The Congress leader said that the reports, if true, of killing of our brave officer and soldiers by the Chinese are indeed “deeply shocking, horrifying and unacceptable”.

“What is deeply distressing is that since noon today, all news channels/news papers have reported the utterly shocking and unacceptable news of an Indian Army officer and two soldiers having been killed by the Chinese in the Galwan River Valley,” he added.

“A statement reportedly issued by the Indian Army at 12.52 PM today confirming the reports of these casualties (and subsequently reported to have been amended at 1.08 PM) has been put out by every news agency and news channel. News reports also continue to suggest injuries to our soldiers. If true, the reports of killing of our brave officer and soldiers by the Chinese are, indeed, deeply shocking, horrifying and unacceptable,” he said.
“To the distress and dismay of the entire Nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh remain absolutely ‘mum’,” he added.

Surjewala alleged that the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister have repeatedly maintained an intriguing silence on the occupation of our territory by the Chinese since April/May, 2020 and have refused to answer any questions in public domain.

“Will the Prime Minister and Defence Minister now come forward to tell the Nation as to how much of our territory has been illegally occupied by the Chinese, post April/May, 2020, and what are the circumstances that have led to killing of our brave officer and soldiers by the Chinese, instead of the Chinese being forced to retreat to their original position on ‘Line of Actual Control’? Will the Prime Minister come forward and take the Nation into confidence?” he asked.

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi , tweeted his condolences for the army officer and the men who died in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley last night following what the army called a “violent face-off” in which both sides sustained casualty.

‘Words cannot describe the pain I feel for the officers and men who sacrificed their lives for our country. My condolences to all their loved ones. We stand with you in this difficult time,” Gandhi’s tweet read.

The Shiv Sena demanded clarity on the violent face-off between Indian and Chinese soldiers in eastern Ladakh, saying the Union government needs to take the “elected opposition” into confidence. Sena deputyleader Priyanka Chaturvedi also said, on Twitter, that the government should not feed “propaganda” to the media.

“Dear GOI, you have the best interest in mind but we need clarity. The nation stands with you in solidarity but they deserve to know,” she tweeted.

Shashi Tharoor, Senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP from , Thiruvananthapuram   tweeted his reaction