Chinese up to 18 km inside LAC, says Cong leader

Former minister of State of Defence and Congress leader, Pallam Raju, on Friday, claimed that the Chinese troops have transgressed 18 km deep into the Depsang Plains, which has been called as the bottleneck or Y-junction and is approximately 18 km on the Indian side of Line of Actual Control (LAC).

New Delhi:Senior Congress leader and former Minister of State for Defence Pallam Raju on Friday claimed that Chinese troops had occupied Indian territory up to 18 km inside of the Line of Actual Control in the Depsang plains.

Addressing a press conference, Pallam Raju said: "In an alarming threat to our national security and territorial integrity, China has now occupied our territory up to 18 km inside the LAC, in the Depsang plains, up to the Y-Junction or the bottleneck, as per multiple reports."

"The Chinese forces are now 7 km short of the Ladakhi town of Burtse, on the Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie Road. Reports also suggest that China has come as close as 25 km from the crucial airstrip of Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO), that is within their artillery range," Raju added.

Jitender Singh, former MoS Defence and Pawan Khera, Congress spokesperson, who were also present in the press conference with Pallam Raju asked, "What has India gained from the Prime Minister's personal outreach to various countries in general and China in particular."

"The Modi Government is a weak government as it refused to acknowledge any incursions, thereby weakening the morale of our soldiers," said Jitender Singh while mentioning that China had made the same kind of incursions in 2013 but later had to withdraw, during UPA era.

While on the other hand, Khera asserted that the country has confidence in its armed forces to throw out Chinese from Indian territory but there is "doubt" about Government's political will.

"Rather than diverting from the real issues, BJP Govt should find a solution to this crisis. Otherwise what is the significance of getting 303 seats in elections?" slammed the Congress leader.