Kargil: During a rally in Kargil as he concluded his nine-day visit to Ladakh, Rahul Gandhi, a Congress leader, strongly criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his handling of the border issues between India and China in Ladakh. He highlighted the contrast between the encroachment on Indian territory and the picture painted by the Prime Minister to the opposition.
“It is undeniable that China has occupied a portion of our land spanning thousands of kilometres. However, it is astonishing that our Prime Minister reassured opposition leaders during a meeting that not even a tiny piece of our land has been compromised, ” Gandhi stated. He referred to PM Modi’s statements made in June 2020 following the incident in Galwan Valley, where 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives. In that meeting, Modi had assured leaders that there had been no intrusion into Indian territory and no capture of Indian military posts.
Gandhi pointed out this claim emphasizing how everyone present in Ladakh was well aware of China’s appropriation of their lands while their leader refused to acknowledge this truth. This assertion carried significance considering the high-level discussions between PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping regarding border tensions during the BRICS Summit held in Johannesburg.
The hostilities between India and China have been increasing, as seen by the movement of around 60,000 soldiers from both countries in the Ladakh region. This escalation has been particularly notable since the Galwan Valley incident in 2020. Despite military negotiations, there is still a substantial number of frontline troops stationed in disputed areas, like Depsang and Demchok.