'Will certainly galvanize Indian Army personnel': Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on PM's Leh visit

Congress leader in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, has endorsed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to frontline troops in Leh on Friday but said that the visit should have come earlier to those areas where tensions continue to prevail, apparently hinting at the high altitude Galwan Valley where Indian and Chinese troops had a fatal clash last month.

"PM Modi's visit will certainly galvanize our army personnel. He should have visited earlier the areas where tensions continue to prevail. Chinese intruders must be evicted lock, stock, and barrel from the occupied areas of our country," Chowdhury said.

Rahul's charge at PM

Earlier in the day, reacting to PM Modi's speech to the jawans at Ladakh, Rahul Gandhi alleged that contrary to PM's claims on Chinese intrusion, 'Ladakhis say China took our land'. Gandhi shared a video of several people talking about China's repeated incursions into the 'Finger area in Ladakh'. The Wayanad MP has repeatedly attacked the PM claiming that he must 'break his silence on the Galwan clashes', inspite of PM Modi's several public addresses on the issue.

READ | Rahul Gandhi Responds 'Someone Is Lying' About Ladakh After PM Modi's Speech To Troops

READ | PM Modi In Leh: Reaching Amongst Troops A Very 'important Step', Says Jyotiraditya Scindia

PM Modi addresses soldiers in Ladakh

In a sudden visit to the Indian Army's Nimu base in Ladakh, PM Modi accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane visited the Eastern Ladakh area. The Prime Minister interacted with personnel of the Army, Air Force and ITBP at one of the forward locations in Nimu - located at 11,000 feet, surrounded by the Zanskar range in Leh.

In his speech, PM Modi lauded the Indian Armed forces' dedication likening it to the firm surrounding mountains in Ladakh.  The Prime Minister also paid tributes to the soldiers martyred in the Galwan Valley clash, reaffirming that the world was uniting against vistaarvaad (expansionism) while promoting vikasvaad (developmental growth).

Paying his tributes to the soldiers who were martyred in the Galwan valley clash, PM Modi said, "The bravery of 14 Corps will be talked about everywhere. Those who are weak can never initiate peace, bravery is a pre-requisite for peace," adding, "We are the same people who pray to the flute playing Lord Krishna but we are also the same people who idolise and follow the same Lord Krishna who carries the 'Sudarshana Chakra'". He also said that he always remembers Bharat mata and the mothers of the soldiers while deciding on national security.

READ | 'Vande Mataram' & 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', Resound Forces in Leh As PM Modi's Chopper Lands

READ | PM Modi's FULL Ladakh Speech: 'The World Has United Against Expansionists,' China Warned