Congress questions Modi govt silence on Chinese transgression

Amid the India-China border clash turning violent, the opposition, in particular, the Congress leader has chosen to escalate matters further in a situation of grave tension. Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala has come out with demands to the Centre asking it to issue statements on the border clash.

Jaipur:Asserting that there could be no compromise on national security, the Congress on Tuesday accused the BJP government of remaining a 'mute spectator', hours after a commanding officer and two soldiers of the Indian Army lost their lives in a 'violent face-off' with Chinese troops at Galwan Valley in Ladakh.

The Congress spokespersons Randeep Singh Surjewala has questioned the silence of the government and demanded clarity on the issue, posing five questions.

Speaking to the media persons, Surjewala said, "The Modi government has remained a mute spectator after reports of the killing of three Indian personnel by the Chinese Army in the Galwan Valley area a day earlier. There can be no compromise with India's "Security and Territorial Integrity."

Surjewala also questioned the government "silence" on the issue and echoed party senior leader AK Antony, a former Defence Minister, to demand that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh come forward and tell the country about the stand-off with China.

"The two have repeatedly maintained an intriguing silence on the occupation of Indian territory by the Chinese since April-May 2020. The Congress demands that the PM now come forward to tell the nation as to how the government proposes to meet this challenging situation, which has serious ramifications for national security and territorial integrity," Surjewala said.

"Congress remains firm that the entire country stands as one to protect India's national security and territorial integrity at all costs. Let the Modi government remember that in our parliamentary democracy, secrecy or silence are unacceptable on part of our government," he said.

Surjewala also said that not a single battle casualty among Indian soldiers had occurred on the India-China Line of Actual Control in the over four decades.