PM wants to give clean chit to China, says Congress

The Congress on Wednesday came down heavily on PM Narendra Modi-led Central government on its handling of the border tension with China in Ladakh.

A press statement issued by national spokesperson Pawan Khera and Dr. Syed Naseer Hussain, MP, Rajya Sabha said “two shocking revelations expose the lies, double speak, hoodwinking and hypocrisy of the Narendra Modi-led government on the issue of the ongoing border tensions with China on the eastern border in areas such as South Pangong, Razun La and the finger area.”

“The government accepted in the House yesterday that India took two loans amounting to Rs 9202 crores from Beijing-based multilateral development bank called the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. The bank was formed in 2016 and is headquartered in Beijing. With 26.6% voting share, China is the largest shareholder of the bank. The first loan of $500 million was taken on May 8, amidst reports of Chinese incursions at multiple points in eastern Ladakh including the Pangong lake. The second loan of $750 million was taken on June 19; 4 days after the Galwan massacre where we lost 20 of our brave hearts. Incidentally, it was also the same day when Prime Minister Modi lied to the country by saying that no one had entered our territory,” they said.

“The stated and much touted policy of the Modi government of cracking down on Chinese business relationships with India stands exposed today. We would like to ask Mr Jaishankar whether he still stands by his statement where he said that ‘there cannot be business as usual in the face of Chinese attempts to unilaterally changing the facts on the ground along the border’. The nation is shocked at such brazen duplicity of the Modi government in handling China's territorial aggression,” they added.

“The second shocker comes in the form of an answer by MoS in the Ministry of Home Affairs Nityanand Rai to an unstarred question, in which the honourable minister categorically denies any infiltration by China during the last 6 months. This is a shameless insult to the martyrdom of our brave soldiers on the night of June 15 in the Galwan Valley.

Is the government trying to say that the Galwan clash happened in the Chinese territory? By saying so, is the government blaming the Indian army of trespassing into the enemy territory? Isn’t this just another clean chit to China but also a handle given to China by our government whereby China can now claim the government of India – the PM’s comments and the answer by MoS home – and tell the world that we are not the aggressor but India is? The response of the government dilutes the resolve of India and its mighty army to protect every inch of our valuable territory,” they said.

“The Prime Minister gives a clean chit to China, a clean chit which China profusely uses around the world to show that India is the aggressor and that China is in its own territory and then the defence minister comes and talks about differing perceptions of the LAC and today you have the MoS Home categorically giving a clean chit to China by saying that no incursions have taken place. Is this a public handover of Indian territory to China by the government of the day?” they added.

They posed four questions to the Defence Minister and government of India:

1) Are we able to patrol the same areas as we were able to do so before April 2020?

2) What is the pressure under which the Prime Minister gives a clean chit to China? The Ministry of Defence removed the document that acknowledges the Chinese transgression in eastern Ladakh on August 7 under what pressure?

3) Is the entire government now trying to justify that one big lie of the Prime Minister of 19th June 2020?

4) What did the RM mean when he said that the talks with China might not be fruitful?

“The government must come clean on the factual situation on the eastern border. A clear message should go across the world that India and its government stand with Indian army and will not legitimise China's claims over our territory. The LAC is clearly marked in our military maps. There is no differing perception of our LAC as far as we are concerned; every single Indian seeks answers from the government and wants to see the restoration of status quo ante,” the statement said.