<p>Congress on Thursday sharpened its attack on the Modi government with Rahul Gandhi demanding to know why Indian soldiers were 'unarmed' to martyrdom, a remark that drew a blunt rebuttal from External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.</p>.<p>“Let us get the facts straight. troops on border duty always carry arms, especially when leaving post,” Jaishankar said responding to Rahul on Twitter.</p>.<p>“Those at Galwan on 15 June did so. Long-standing practice (as per 1996 & 2005 agreements) not to use firearms during faceoffs,” the diplomat-turned-minister said, triggering a war of words between the Congress and the BJP.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/india-china-border-tension-live-updates-increase-in-chinese-chopper-activity-across-lac-to-airlift-casualties-suffered-by-them-850184.html">Follow live updates on India-China border tension</a></strong></p>.<p>While Rahul released a video demanding to fix responsibility for the lapse, Congress leaders K C Venugopal and Randeep sought to know why back-up force was not provided to the soldiers engaged in the face-off.</p>.<p>Surjewala, addressing a press conference in Jaipur, sought to know why the government did not have advance information about the impending attack.</p>.<p>BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra hit out at Rahul accusing him of acting in the “most immature” manner.</p>.<p>Patra said the former Congress President should be aware of some basic facts that according to agreements signed with China, use of guns and bombs is not allowed within two km of the Line of Actual Control.</p>.<p>“Rahul should utilise the lockdown to read some books about what all pacts are inked with China during the Congress rule,” the BJP spokesperson said.</p>.<p>AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also accused the Modi government of “kneeling down” before the China by awarding contracts to build the Delhi-Meerut Rapid Rail Transit System to a Chinese company.</p>.<p>“Twenty of our soldiers have been martyred. In such a situation, the central government should give a strong message, but the government has adopted a weak strategy of kneeling down by handing over the contract of Delhi-Meerut semi high-speed rail corridor to a Chinese company. Many Indian companies are competent to build this corridor,” she said.</p>.<p>The sharp exchanges between the Congress and the BJP came on the eve of the all party meeting convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to brief leaders of political parties on the violent face-off with Chinese troops that left 20 Indian soldiers dead.</p>
<p>Congress on Thursday sharpened its attack on the Modi government with Rahul Gandhi demanding to know why Indian soldiers were 'unarmed' to martyrdom, a remark that drew a blunt rebuttal from External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.</p>.<p>“Let us get the facts straight. troops on border duty always carry arms, especially when leaving post,” Jaishankar said responding to Rahul on Twitter.</p>.<p>“Those at Galwan on 15 June did so. Long-standing practice (as per 1996 & 2005 agreements) not to use firearms during faceoffs,” the diplomat-turned-minister said, triggering a war of words between the Congress and the BJP.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/india-china-border-tension-live-updates-increase-in-chinese-chopper-activity-across-lac-to-airlift-casualties-suffered-by-them-850184.html">Follow live updates on India-China border tension</a></strong></p>.<p>While Rahul released a video demanding to fix responsibility for the lapse, Congress leaders K C Venugopal and Randeep sought to know why back-up force was not provided to the soldiers engaged in the face-off.</p>.<p>Surjewala, addressing a press conference in Jaipur, sought to know why the government did not have advance information about the impending attack.</p>.<p>BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra hit out at Rahul accusing him of acting in the “most immature” manner.</p>.<p>Patra said the former Congress President should be aware of some basic facts that according to agreements signed with China, use of guns and bombs is not allowed within two km of the Line of Actual Control.</p>.<p>“Rahul should utilise the lockdown to read some books about what all pacts are inked with China during the Congress rule,” the BJP spokesperson said.</p>.<p>AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also accused the Modi government of “kneeling down” before the China by awarding contracts to build the Delhi-Meerut Rapid Rail Transit System to a Chinese company.</p>.<p>“Twenty of our soldiers have been martyred. In such a situation, the central government should give a strong message, but the government has adopted a weak strategy of kneeling down by handing over the contract of Delhi-Meerut semi high-speed rail corridor to a Chinese company. Many Indian companies are competent to build this corridor,” she said.</p>.<p>The sharp exchanges between the Congress and the BJP came on the eve of the all party meeting convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to brief leaders of political parties on the violent face-off with Chinese troops that left 20 Indian soldiers dead.</p>
