‘Why is he hiding’: Rahul Gandhi hits out at PM Modi on killing of 20 soldiers; Congress asks for all party meet

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. (File Photo: IANS)


After the unprecedented violent face-off with Chinese troops at Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on Monday night which claimed the lives of 20 Indian Armymen, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi once again hit out at the Centre asking why Prime Minister Narendra Modi is “silent” on the killing of Indian soldiers.

“Why is the PM silent? Why is he hiding? Enough is enough. We need to know what has happened. How dare China kill our soldiers? How dare they take our land?” former Congress president tweeted.

The Congress today demanded that PM Modi should address the nation and call an all party meeting to discuss the situation.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera took to twitter and wrote, “Respected Prime Minister, please address the sad nation. Please call an all party meeting to evolve a unified political posture amidst this national security crisis.”

The party had on Tuesday flayed the Prime Minister saying “Ever wondered why a vociferous man who never failed to question the (previous) government on every issue is now completely silent? Because, now he cannot blame anyone else but himself for all the failures.”

Senior Congress leader and former home minister P Chidambaram too had questioned Modi’s silence on the border issue. “The PM has maintained a worrying silence since May 5. Can you imagine any other head of the government not saying a word for 7 weeks since the intrusion of foreign troops into a country?” he asked on Tuesday evening.

On Jun 10 too, Wayanad MP tweeted, “The Chinese have walked in and taken our territory in Ladakh. Meanwhile, the PM is absolutely silent and has vanished from the scene.”

Meanwhile, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi offered condolence on the killing of the 20 soldiers.

An Indian Army statement issued on Tuesday night said, “17 Indian troops who were critically injured in the line of duty at standoff location and exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the high altitude terrain, they have succumbed to their injuries, taking the total that were killed in action to 20.”

These are the first casualties faced by the Indian Army in clash with the People’s Liberation Army since 1975 when an Indian patrol was ambushed by Chinese troops in Arunachal Pradesh.