Is PM Modi aware that 40,000 PLA troops are still in Indian territory? Congress demands an answer

The Congress on Thursday hit out at the PM Narendra Modi-led Central government in the wake of media reports that about 40,000 troops of the People’s Liberation Army were still inside Indian territory in Ladakh.

Addressing a virtual press briefing, party spokesperson Ajay Maken said, “Today again, this disturbing news on Chinese PLA troops illegally occupying Indian Territory has surfaced in the media. So much is the obscurity on part of the government, that this important news has been broken by the media, rather than the government itself.”

“This development assumes more significance, with the fact that just 3 days back, the Defence Minister has categorically stated that there is no guarantee of finding a solution through ongoing talks,” he added.

He posed six questions to the government regarding the situation, demanding answers to them, including, “How does the Modi government propose to maintain and restore status quo ante as it existed prior to May 2020 and what is its policy, strategy and the way forward?”

Highlights of the press briefing:

Since last one week, PLA is not withdrawing from the 'depth areas' as agreed in four rounds meeting of corps-commanders of India and China. Thus 40,000 PLA troops are still estimated to be present at LAC fronts. Since last meeting of 14th July, China has not moved its PLA forces away from the Indian Territory.

Today again, this disturbing news on Chinese PLA troops illegally occupying Indian Territory has surfaced in the media. So much is the obscurity on part of the government, that this important news has been broken by the media, rather than the government itself.

This development assumes more significance, with the fact that just 3 days back, the Defence Minister has categorically stated that there is no guarantee of finding a solution through ongoing talks.

There can never be a compromise on national security or territorial integrity of India. This is a cardinal principle and a nonnegotiable principle that every citizen, countrymen and every Congressman have repeated umpteen numbers of times while extending unconditional and total support to our armed forces in repulsing Chinese transgressions as also to our government

The facts also now demonstrate an extremely worrying and a talking picture.

These facts demonstrate that since May 2020:

• Indian armed forces are obstructed by the Chinese to patrol between patrolling point 10 to patrolling point 13, which is our territory.
• After forcefully occupying the Depsang plains and Daulat Beg Oldi Sector in our territory, the Chinese PLA are continuing to undertake unabated construction.

• Modi Government has pushed our armed forces into moving back from the ITBP Administrative Base at Finger 4 to an area between Finger 2 and Finger 3. Whereas, China continues to occupy 8 kilometres inside our LAC, our territory, between Finger 4 to Finger 8 and about 3 thousand Chinese soldiers are present there. The question is why!?
• China has constructed/converted a civilian air strip called the Ngari Gunsa Air Strip in its own territory close to our border into a military air strip by doing extensive construction there upon and this itself is a possible threat to our territory.

That is why we ask 6 questions of the Prime Minister and Modi Government:

• Harsh winters are approaching, the Chinese PLA is not moving back as per the reported agreements amongst the corps commanders. Is the government aware of 40,000 PLA troops still not going back from our territory? Why is the RM, FM and PM silent about such an important development? What is the plan of action now? The country wants to know.
• Every newspaper report, satellite images, Army generals and now the statement of our own Defence Minister clearly establishes that the statement of the Prime Minister about nobody having occupied our territory is apparently false. So, did the Prime Minister mislead the All Party Meeting on the 19th of June, 2020?

It is a simple question that the nation wants to know.

• What is the meaning of the statement of Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh, when he said that there is no guarantee of finding a solution in the ongoing talks with the Chinese? Has Modi Government accepted Chinese transgressions and have also admitted that they have no solution to push the Chinese back into their own territory behind the LAC between India and China?
• Is it correct that China is continuing constructions in the Daulat Beg Oldi and also the Depsang Sector? What is the policy of the government and its strategy to ensure that our territory is protected and the Chinese transgressions and the construction in Daulat Beg Oldi as also the Depsang sector are stopped forthwith?

• Is it correct that the China continues to occupy 8 kilometres of our territory in the Pangong Tso Lake area between Finger 4 to Finger 8? How does the Modi Government propose to push back the Chinese Army which is present in large numbers in your area behind the line of LAC, behind Finger 8 into their own territory?
• The status quo ante as it existed on May 2020 is the need of hour and is the sole requirement of every fellow citizen. How does the Modi government propose to maintain and restore status quo ante as it existed prior to May 2020 and what is its policy, strategy and the way forward. There can never be any compromise on our territorial integrity or national security Prime Minister cannot brush these important issues aside of Chinese transgressions and Chinese build up on our border for it threatens our territory and compromises our territorial integrity.

On a question about Rajasthan situation that the Supreme Court decision is a setback and would you still advise Mr. Gehlot now to wait before he prove his majority on the floor of the House, Maken said: Well, we are very confident first of all, we have got the numbers with us and as far as the numbers are concerned, we have no problem with the numbers and we will prove the majority on the floor of the House. Congress’ MLAs, who didn’t attend our meeting, they have gone to the High Court, first of all. So, now there are two views, some section of people here feel that we should wait for the High Court decision and once the High Court decision comes tomorrow, then we should go for floor test, so that no one has anything to wait for any court decision to wait for.

But, whatever it is, as far as the floor test is concerned, we are very confident that we will easily prove the majority mark. And there will be at least 15-20 members’ difference between the MLAs, who are in favor of the Government and those against the Government.

On another question that, are you disappointed with Supreme Court decision today, Maken said: Well, when you go to the court these days, we don’t expect favourable decision from the court, so when we go to the court, we prepare ourselves for a decision which is not in our favour. It is not only a legal battle, it is mainly a political battle and legal battle is just part of the entire political battle, a part of the political battle and knowing fully well, understanding fully well that the court may not give decision in our favour, we have prepared our political plan and as I told, the most important thing is the number in the house. So, once that number is with us, we don’t need to worry for anything else.