‘Stop speaking like China’s propaganda machinery’: BJP attack Rahul Gandhi for his China incursion remark | India News
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Earlier in the day, Gandhi had said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assertion that not an inch of the land in Ladakh has been taken over by China is not true.
“All the people (in Ladakh) say the Chinese Army has intruded and taken over our grazing land and they (people) cannot go there now.
They are clearly saying this even as Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) says that not an inch of land was taken over which is not based on truth,” Gandhi, who is on a tour of Ladakh, said after paying tributes to his father and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi on his birth anniversary.
‘Absolutely wrong’
Dismissing Gandhi’s claims as “absolutely wrong”, BJP MP Ravishankar Prasad said: “Whatever you have said about Ladakh is absolutely wrong … I condemn your entire statement on behalf of the party. Do anything, but why do you try to lower the morale of India’s security forces?”
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“They (Congress) ask for proof of the Balakot and Uri attacks. What can we even expect from them? Today, when Rahul Gandhi talks about Ladakh, I want to ask him if he remembers how much of India’s land was captured by China before and after the 1962 war,” Prasad said during a press conference.
He further alleged that Rahul was defaming India by making statements like Beijing’s “propaganda machinery”.
“Rahul Gandhi, you are raising questions over our soldiers’ bravery and sacrifice in Galwan … Why do you defame India? Why do you become China’s propaganda machinery? … Rahul Gandhi, whenever you visit a border area you say something and you offer propaganda to China against India,” the BJP leader said.
Prasad said that China had to withdraw in Galwan due to the bravery and sacrifice of Indian soldiers “Is it the truth or not?” he asked, alleging that it has become the “nature of Rahul Gandhi to make anti-India statements”.
India-China ties
India-China ties nosedived significantly following a fierce clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades.
Indian and Chinese troops are locked in an over three-year confrontation in certain friction points in eastern Ladakh even as the two sides completed disengagement from several areas following extensive diplomatic and military talks.
‘Congress chanted hindi chini bhai bhai’
Prasad also mentioned former defence minister AK Antony in reference to his speech in the Parliament on China. “The then defence minister AK Antony in Parliament had said ‘We don’t want to irritate China by erecting infrastructure’, this is your (Congress party) past,” Prasad added.
BJP MP Jyotiraditya Scindia also attacked Rahul saying that before raising questions on the Centre, “Congress should first look within themselves.”
“Congress who supported China and chanted the slogans of ‘hindi chini bhai bhai’ and gave away 45,000 sq km to China should first look within themselves,” Scindia said while talking to the reporters.
The Congress has been questioning the government over the border situation with China.
Rahul to visit Kargil
Gandhi on Sunday said he was planning to visit Ladakh during his Bharat Jodo Yatra but had to abandon the plan due to some “logistical reasons”.
“So I thought let me come and do a detailed tour of Ladakh. I came to Pangong and am going to visit Nubra and Kargil. The idea is to listen to what the people have to say and what their concerns are. Over here, the concern is of the (grazing) land that has been taken over by China. The people have been affected in a big way because their grazing lands have been taken over. Another concern of the people is the lack of cellular connectivity,” he said.
Gandhi reached Leh on Thursday and is scheduled to visit Kargil either on Monday or Tuesday, depending on his engagements in Leh district.
UT status of Ladakh
Gandhi also raised questions over the Union Territory status given to Ladakh after the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories following the abrogation of Article 370.
“There were so many complaints from the people of Ladakh, They are not happy with the status that has been given to them, they want more representation and unemployment is also a concern. People are saying that the state should not be run by bureaucracy but by representatives of the people,” the Congress MP added.
Reacting to the comment, Union minister Anurag Thakur said Ladakh had been demanding the status of Union Territory, “which could not be provided for 75 years”.
“The country’s biggest solar project is also coming in Ladakh. Electricity, water and cooking gas have been provided to the people of Ladakh under PM Modi’s govt … When our Army was giving a befitting reply to the Chinese Army, Rahul Gandhi was busy having secret talks with Chinese officials,” the minister added.
(With inputs from agencies)
Watch Rahul Gandhi: China’s army has entered Ladakh, locals lost their grazing land
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