Published 16:20 IST, September 6th 2020
Union Min Prahlad Joshi pins blame of LAC situation on Congress, rakes up Nehru's remarks
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, on Sunday, labeled the current situation at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China as a 'failure' of the Congress regime
Pinning the current situation at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China as a 'failure' of Congress, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi remarked that the neighboring country came 'closer' to India after it occupied Tibet. Joshi highlighted that the Congress regime could have opposed the occupation of Tibet by China, but they failed. The Minister of Coal went on to criticize India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru for turning an eye to Ladakh.
'Will not let go even an inch'
"Nehru statement about Ladakh was ‘Why should we worry about the land where not even a grass can grow’. This was the attitude of the Congress. China occupied Tibet due to which the Chinese came closer to India. That time Congress government could have opposed and stalled but they failed," the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Pralhad Joshi said on Sunday.
Joshi affirmed that the BJP-led NDA government's stand is to not let go of even an 'inch of land' and that the Modi government is committed to it. Questioning the alleged donations received by the Congress from China, Joshi remarked that the party will have to explain it.
BJP lashes out at the Congress
Unleashing a scathing attack upon the Congress, BJP National Spokesperson Sambit Patra criticized the Opposition party on Saturday for allegedly having links with the Communist Party of China amid the rising tension at the LAC. Patra brought to the fore, a tweet by China's state-owned media Global Times, which mentioned that the Congress is attempting to shake the PM Narendra Modi-led government in India.
Addressing the media on Saturday, Patra said, "Why is it so that be it Pakistan, China or some terrorists, all of them happen to side with the Congress. After abrogating Article 370, there was a nuisance in Pakistan, Rahul Gandhi walks out of the Parliament and says thousands have been murdered. That was fake news and based on that, Pakistan PM Imran Khan had submitted a dossier in the UN, in which the very first line mentioned Rahul Gandhi. Today even China is taken Rahul Gandhi's support. Hafiz Saeed has said in one interview that he loves the Congress."
Tensions at the LAC
On 31 August, the Indian Army said that the Chinese side carried out provocative military movements to change the status quo on Aug 29-30. "Indian troops pre-empted this PLA activity on the Southern Bank of Pangong Tso Lake, undertook measures to strengthen our positions and thwart Chinese intentions to unilaterally change facts on the ground," the official statement by the Defence Ministry said. Earlier on June 15, 20 Indian Army soldiers including a Commanding Officer were martyred when a violent faceoff took place amid a de-escalation process at the Galwan Valley.
Updated 16:23 IST, September 6th 2020