A day after Congress MP Rahul Gandhi alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “ceded” Indian territory to China, the Parliamentary Committee on Defence has decided to visit Galwan Valley and Pangong Tso in Eastern Ladakh. The committee includes Rahul Gandhi himself besides NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut.
Training guns on the Centre, Rahul Gandhi had earlier questioned during a press conference as to why Prime Minister Narendra Modi had not made a statement on the LAC situation and that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh “sheepishly” made a statement on the issue in the Parliament.
Making statement in the Lok Sabha https://t.co/VxKHw4KiJq— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) February 11, 2021
“Why has he asked the Defence Minister to make the statement, the Prime Minister should say – I have given Indian land to China, this is the truth,” he alleged. Rahul said it has also come to the fore that our troops are now going to be stationed at Finger 3 at Pangong Tso lake.
“Finger-4 is our territory, that is where our post used to be. So, now we have moved from finger-4 to finger-3. Why has the Prime Minister Modi given up Indian Territory to the Chinese? This is the question that needs to be answered by him and by the Defence Minister,” Rahul Gandhi said.
Firing a volley of questions Rahul asked as to why have Indian troops, after the hard work they had put in to guard the borders, had been asked to move back and what has India got in return for this.
He also questioned as to why the Chinese haven’t moved back from the strategically important Depsang plains. “It is the responsibility of the Prime Minister to protect the territory of the country. The Prime Minister has ceded Indian Territory to the Chinese. It is his responsibility to solve the problem,” he alleged.
GOI must explain-1. Why our forces are withdrawing from dominant positions in Kailash Ranges?2. Why we are ceding our territory & withdrawing from forward base at Finger 4 to Finger 3?3. Why has China not withdrawn from our territory in Depsang Plains & Gogra Hot Springs?— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 12, 2021
“GOI must explain – Why our forces are withdrawing from dominant positions in Kailash Ranges? Why we are ceding our territory & withdrawing from forward base at Finger 4 to Finger 3? Why has China not withdrawn from our territory in Depsang Plains & Gogra Hot Springs,” he asked in a tweet. Following Rahul’s blistering attack, Defence Ministry issued a strongly-worded statement saying it has not conceded any territory as a result of the disengagement agreement finalised with China in Pangong lake areas in Eastern Ladakh. The ministry said that effective safeguarding of country’s national interest and territory in the Eastern Ladakh sector has taken place because the Centre reposed full faith in the capabilities of the military personnel guarding the country’s borders. “Those who doubt the achievements made possible by the sacrifices of our military personnel are actually disrespecting them”, the statement said. Defence Ministry also responded to charges levelled by Rahul Gandhi on Finger 4. “The assertion that Indian territory is up to Finger 4 is categorically false. The territory of India is as depicted by the map of India and includes more than 43,000 sq km currently under illegal occupation of China since 1962. Even the Line of Actual Control (LAC), as per the Indian perception, is at Finger 8, not at Finger 4. That is why India has persistently maintained the right to patrol upto Finger 8, including in the current understanding with China,” the ministry said.
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