PM Modi endorses China’s position over territory dispute: Congress

The Congress on Sunday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the statement he made at the all-party meeting and then on the PMO’s clarification on the statement, demanding an explanation from him.

New Delhi:The Congress on Sunday lashed out at government while demanding an explanation on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement that there was no intrusion in the Indian territory and asked, "Has not the PM's statement in a way endorsed the Chinese position that they never intruded in our territory?"

While addressing a virtual press conference, Congress senior leader Kapil Sibal said, "China's brazen transgressions into India's territory in the Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso lake area and Hot Springs cannot be accepted. Our territorial integrity will not be compromised under any circumstances? We will repulse every sinister design of China to usurp India's territory. Any attempt by China to illegally appropriate India's territory will be repelled."

He also mentioned the statements given by Defense Minister and External Affairs Minister on June 17 and June 20, about the designed incursions on multiple incursions between April-May 2020 in Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso lake area and Hot Springs.

"Let the nation not forget that Col B. Santosh Babu and our 19 jawans have made the supreme sacrifice defending our motherland. Let no one in the Central Government remain in denial. Until the Chinese retreat and status quo ante is restored, our Government should not let up or appear to cede any part of these territories to the Chinese," Sibal added.

The Congress leader posed five questions for the center to answer on it's position on Indo-China border dispute over the past 6 weeks.

Among these questions, Sibal alleged that the government was in denial of Chinese "intrusions" as "confirmed" by several security experts, retired Army Generals and Satellite imagery.

"Despite the statement of security experts, retired Army Generals and Satellite imagery depicting Chinese intrusion into Pangong Tso Lake upto nearly 8 kms, construction of over 60 permanent structures, including bunkers and boat pads and occupation up to Finger 4, why is government denying brazen Chinese transgression?," Sibal asked.

"Isn't the statement of PM an affront to the valour and supreme sacrifice of our soldiers who sought to evict the Chinese from our territory in Galwan Valley? Does the government mean that their sacrifice was in vain," Sibal said.

In another question to the government and PM Modi, the congress leader asked, "Is it not correct that China has never claimed Galwan Valley as it's territory? Is it also not correct that China has now committed brazen transgressions into Galwan Valley?"

He also sought a clarification from the Government as to why PMO deleted those words from the official statement which PM had said after the all-party meeting that "no one intruded into our territory" and why did his remarks contradict the MEA's statement of June 20.

Sibal said that if no one entered Indian territory then how did 20 Indian Army personnel die?

Pointing our the contradiction in Government's statements, Kapil Sibal questioned, "Didn't the Army Chief clearly state that "disengagement" is "underway"? If "no one has intruded in our territory" then what was being erected by China or what status quo ante or disengagement were we seeking?"