Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday once again hit out at the central government saying it cannot shirk its responsibility of securing our borders with China and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take the nation into confidence on the situation in Ladakh.
She asked why the country’s soldiers were martyred when China has not captured any Indian territory, as claimed by the Prime Minister, in a video message put out as part of the Congress party’s campaign to honour the Army personnel who sacrificed their lives in Ladakh.
“Today when there is a crisis-like situation at the India-China border, the central government cannot shirk its responsibility (of securing them),” she said in ‘SpeakUpForOurJawans’ video campaign by Congress.
“The country wants to know if China has not captured our land in Ladakh, as claimed by the Prime Minister, then why were our 20 soldiers martyred,” she asked.
She said while the Prime Minister says there is no intrusion into Indian territory, experts after seeing satellite images talk of the presence of Chinese troops in our territory confirming the intrusions.
“When and how will the Modi government take back from China our land in Ladakh? Is our territorial integrity being violated by China in Ladakh? Will the Prime Minister take the nation in confidence on the situation at the border?” Gandhi asked.
She said the government should give full support and strength to the Army, saying “this will be true patriotism”.
The ruling BJP has earlier alleged that the previous Congress government had allocated Rs 100 crore to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) when Manmohan Singh was Finance Minister in 1991, but the funds could not be disbursed.
Today the party hit back at BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as party spokesperson Pawan Khera said “We want the Prime Minister to fight with China and drive back Chinese troops from our territory but he is fighting the Congress, the BJP is coming out with allegations daily which have no ground.”
The BJP alleged that the Budget speech of 1991-92 by Manmohan Singh as Finance Minister on July 24, 1991 has the details of the funds to RGF.
The Congress in its reply on Thursday said that BJP is using “diversionary tactics” after BJP levelled allegations that RGF received donations from the Chinese Embassy.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala had said, “Please stop living in 2005 and start answering questions in 2020”.