Ladakh row: Congress accuses Modi government of double-talk

Congress on Wednesday accused the Modi government of double-talk as it categorically denied any Chinese infiltration in the past six months, a day after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh admitted to the build-up of Chinese troops in “inner areas” along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh.

The main Opposition party also attacked the Modi government for taking loans to the tune of 750 million dollars from the Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to provide financial support to the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY), at a time when the armed forces are fighting Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh.

“Understand the chronology: PM said-no one crossed the border; then took a huge loan from a China-based bank. Then, the Defence Minister said China occupied our land. Now MOS Home says there is no infiltration. Is Modi government with Indian Army or with China? Modi ji, why so scared,” former Congress president Rahul Gandhi said.

Addressing reporters outside the Parliament, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera claimed that the Union ministers are speaking in different voices on the India-China standoff in Ladakh.

“June 19 is a black day in the history of India because that was the first time that any Prime Minister lied to the nation. Not only did he give a clean chit to China that day, but also signed a loan agreement with the Beijing-based AIIB to the tune of $750 million,” he said.

Khera expressed shock at Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai’s response to a question that categorically denies any infiltration by China during the last six months.

“This is a shameless insult to the martyrdom of our brave soldiers on the night of June 15 in the Galwan valley,” he said.

Congress questioned whether the government is trying to say that the Galwan clash happened in the Chinese territory.

“The nation is shocked at such brazen duplicity of the Modi government in handling China's territorial aggression,” Khera said.