Published 19:59 IST, June 28th 2020
Congress says 'unclear what Sharad Pawar said' after NCP Supremo reminds it of 1962 war
A day after NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar slammed politicisation on Galwan clashes, Maharashtra Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat, says unclear what Pawar said
A day after NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar slammed politicisation on Galwan clashes, Maharashtra Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat, on Sunday, issued a statement that it was unclear what Pawar said regarding the Indo-China clashes. He added that it was not right to 'compare to 1962 situation' as no Indian soldier has died on LAC in 45 years. While Congress has complained to CM Uddhav Thackeray of being sidelined in the Maharashtra government, Thorat has maintained that the three-party government is not on the rocks.
Congress: 'Unclear what Pawar said'
"The Congress party is with the government on the China issue, but that doesn't mean that questions shouldn't be asked on the issues of national interest. The questions raised by Shri. Rahul ji Gandhi on border security is not politics, but a responsibility given by the people. We cannot compare the situation in 1962 with what is happening today," stated Thorat in a statement.
He added, "It is still not completely clear what Shri. Sharad Pawar Saheb has said. And by using just one of his comments the media should not draw any conclusions and rush to give a clean chit to Prime Minister and raise questions on the stand taken by Shri. Rahul ji Gandhi. I am sure that Pawar Saheb is worried by Chinese incursion too".
Pawar: 'Don't politicise national security'
On Saturday, Pawar said that it was not right to politicise matters of national security. He also rebutted 'intelligence failure' allegations, stating that was not the cases as Chinese troops tried to encroach on India's territory and were pushed. Pawar, who was India's former Defence Minister had backed the Centre in the all-party meeting chaired by PM Modi on the Galwan clashes.
Moreover, hitting out at Rahul Gandhi's claim of 'China occupying our land', Pawar reminded that China captured around 45,000 sq km of India's land, after the 1962 war. He added that Gandhi must not forget the land which is still in China's possession when the Congress was in power. He also added that he was unsure whether China had encroached the same land again.
"That land is still with China. I don't know if they (China) have encroached on some area now again. But when one makes an allegation, one should also see what had happened when one was there (in power). If such big land was encroached upon then, it cannot be ignored. It is a matter of national security and it should not be politicised is what I feel," he said in an interview.
Updated 19:59 IST, June 28th 2020