JOIN USSpeak on government strategy against Chinese transgressions: Congress tells PM Modi
The Congress on Sunday demanded answers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his government's policy and strategy to ensure that Indian territory is protected and Chinese "transgressions and construction" in Daulat Beg Oldie and Depsang sector of Ladakh are stopped.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's statement on Friday that there is no guarantee of finding a solution in the talks with China, raises questions on whether the Modi government has accepted Chinese transgressions and has admitted that they cannot push back the Chinese.
"What is the meaning of the statement of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, when he said there is no guarantee of finding a solution in the ongoing talks with the Chinese. Has the Modi government accepted Chinese transgressions and has admitted that they have no solution to push the Chinese back into their own territory, behind the Line of Actual Control between India and China," he asked.
Posing a set of five questions to the prime minister, the Congress leader said the PM cannot brush aside these important issues of Chinese transgressions and build-up as it threatens "our territory and compromises our territorial integrity".
"The prime minister must come forward and answer these questions in light of the statement of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and in the light of the new developments and the satellite imagery," he said at a virtual press conference.
Surjewala also asked whether it is correct that China is continuing constructions in Daulat Beg Oldie and Depsang sector, as the same was corroborated by satellite imagery and by defence experts.
"What is the policy and strategy of the government to ensure that our territory is protected and the Chinese transgressions and construction in Daulat Beg Oldie as also the Depsang sector are stopped forthwith," he said.
After Rajnath Singh's statement, the Congress leader said, the facts emerging on the ground now demonstrate "an extremely worrying and telling picture".
He alleged that the Chinese Army has occupied and is continuing to undertake construction in Depsang sector and Daulat Beg Oldie "on our territory, where they have occupied our territory across the line of Actual Control (LAC)".
While the government has been saying that no Indian territory has been occupied by the Chinese, Rajnath Singh has said no one can take away even an inch of Indian land.
Surjewala also alleged that China is creating obstruction in patrolling by Indian armed forces, between patrolling point 3 and 10, which is Indian territory.
He also claimed that while China continues to occupy 8 km "inside our LAC" and territory between "Finger 4 to Finger 8" and about 3,000 Chinese soldiers are present there, and on the contrary Modi government has pushed the armed forces into moving back from ITBP administrative base at Finger 4 to an area between Area 2 and 3.
China, he further alleged, has constructed a civilian air base Nari Gunza in its own territory, close to the India border, into a military air strip.
"This itself is a possible threat to our territory," he said.
China has accumulated two armed divisions of 20,000 soldiers close to the Indian border and has collected artillery and other material, which poses an imminent danger.
"Satellite images and army generals clearly establish that the statement of the PM about nobody occupying our territory is apparently false. Did the PM mislead the all-party meeting on June 19. This is a simple question that the nation wants to know," Surjewala said.
The status quo ante, as it existed in May 2020, is the sole requirement of every fellow citizen, he said, asking, "How does the Modi government propose to maintain and restore the status quo ante as existed prior to May 2020. What is its policy, strategy and the way forward."
Surjewala said there can be no compromise on India's territorial integrity or national security and the Congress party will not allow this.