Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday demanded a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on China’s “standard map” in…
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi (ANI)
Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday demanded a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on China’s “standard map” in which Beijing staked claim over Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin.
“I have been saying for years that what the PM said that not one inch of land was lost in Ladakh is a lie. The entire Ladakh knows that China has transgressed. This map issue is very serious. They have taken away the land. The PM should say something about it,” Mr Gandhi said.
His statement came a day after India rejected China’s ”standard map” and lodged a strong protest with Beijing over the 2023 edition of its ‘standard map’ showing Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as South Tibet and Aksai Chin occupied by it in the 1962 war as part of its territory.
Advertisement
Congress leader Pawan Khera also slammed the Centre, accusing the PM of giving a “clean chit” to China.
Meanwhile, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said Mr Gandhi has more faith in what China says rather than in India’s foreign and defence ministry personnel.
Talking to a news agency, he slammed the Congress party and said that the latter did not have faith in India or its institutions.
“I think Rahul Gandhi can’t understand that the Ministry of External Affairs has already rejected claims on what China did, the map they issued,” the union minister said.
“What happened – if China encroached upon our land – this happened during the tenure of Jawaharlal Nehru. He is not aware of history. So, he keeps saying these things. I express my sympathies to Rahul Gandhi. He trusts the Chinese map but not what our MEA or Defence force officers deputed there,” he said.
“The Nehru-Gandhi family has always trusted China more. It is their problem because they do not believe in India, they do not believe in the Supreme Court, they do not believe in the Election Commission, in the Defence officials or any other institution of India. They only believe in China or Pakistan. That is their problem. What can we say to that?” Joshi said.
Advertisement
