PM, Rajnath, Shah's silence on reports of Chinese aggression in Arunachal alarming: Congress
The Congress on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah must tell the nation whether China has stopped Indian troops from patrolling in certain areas of Arunachal Pradesh.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claimed that China has stopped the Indian Army from patrolling in several places in Arunachal Pradesh, which was extremely alarming, but the silence of the prime minister, defence minister and home minister was even more alarming.
"China has stopped our Army from patrolling in several places in Arunachal Pradesh - this is extremely alarming. But even more alarming is the silence emanating from Rajnath Singh ji, Amit Shah ji, and Narendra Modi ji. Instead of stopping China, the Modi government is putting pressure on the media to suppress this news," he alleged in a post in Hindi on X.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said India firmly stands behind its soldiers and is united against any Chinese aggression, but the Modi government must respond to the reports.
"After Galwan, now Arunachal Pradesh? Disturbing reports suggest that China is attempting to push further into areas in Arunachal Pradesh, an inalienable part of our nation. This demands immediate answers from the Modi Government," Kharge said on X.
There has been no immediate reaction from the government on the claims and no official word on any such development in Arunachal Pradesh.
"Let us not forget that after 20 of our brave soldiers made the supreme sacrifice in Galwan in 2020, none less than PM Modi gave China a 'CLEAN CHIT', emboldening their transgressions! That record inspires no confidence," the Congress chief said, citing the violent clashes between India-China troops in 2020 in Galwan.
"The Prime Minister, Defence Minister and Home Minister must answer the nation. We have complete faith in the courage and capability of the Indian Armed Forces. India stands firmly behind our soldiers and united against any Chinese aggression," Kharge said.
He also asked whether the PLA, the Chinese Army as it is known, had expanded its presence near Taksing and whether India had lost regular access to Shera-5, a designated Patrolling Point.
"Why is Indian patrolling reportedly limited during winter in this sensitive sector while the PLA maintains a year round presence? Why are traditional grazing and hunting grounds becoming inaccessible to local communities?
"Has the pre-May 2020 status quo ante in Eastern Ladakh been fully restored? The BJP is culpable in hiding facts about situation on the ground and taking Parliament into confidence whether India retains full access to all areas and Patrolling Points it accessed prior to May 2020," the leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha asked.
Gandhi further said, "The country still remembers that statement by the Prime Minister after Galwan, in which he caused immense damage to India by saying that China has not taken even an inch of our land.
"Even today, the same operation to save his image continues - and a Prime Minister who prioritizes his fake image over the country's security is extremely dangerous for the nation."
The leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha had on Thursday alleged that China has stopped Indian troops from patrolling in certain areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh and the government was making efforts to "hide it."
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday said that India considers matters relating to border areas with China as "most serious" and asserted that maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LAC is of "utmost importance", as the state of the frontier will govern the overall trajectory of bilateral ties.
The MEA's remarks came amid reports of aggressive posturing by Chinese troops in Arunachal Pradesh's Upper Subansiri region.
China on Wednesday said the situation along the Sino-India border is "generally stable at the moment" while declining to comment on reports of stepped-up Chinese military activity near the Arunachal Pradesh border.
