Don't allow Chinese investments in infra sector, Mamata urges Centre

TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Friday said her party stands firmly behind the union government in this "hour of crisis" after 20 Indian Army personnel were killed by the PLA at Galwan and urged the Centre not to allow Chinese investments in strategically-important infrastructure sectors.

Banerjee, who was speaking at an all-party meeting convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), accused China of launching a "pre-planned attack" on Indian borders while it was busy dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, sources said.

India "should and will" unitedly tide over the crisis at the LAC, the West Bengal chief minister said.

Banerjee, who is among the harshest critics of the BJP, said, "We (TMC) stand with the government in this hour of crisis. We will win. We will put up a united fight as one nation," a source in the TMC quoted her as having told the meeting.

"Railways, telecommunication, civil aviation are very important sectors, we should not involve China in them. We might face some problems but we will figure it out with what we have in our country," she said.

Later a statement issued by the party said Banerjee reassured that her party strongly expresses solidarity with the central government so that the "enemy is fought in a unitedly".

"I want to thank the central government for having this all-party meeting. It's a good message for the country that we are united behind the defence forces, and we salute our jawans," she said.

"We fully support whatever decision the central government takes for the country. But we should exercise precaution," she said, adding the attack on the borders was pre-planned by China when India was busy dealing with COVID-19 pandemic and the economic situation.

Accusing China of violating agreements in 1962, 1967, 1975, 2015 and 2017, Banerjee said, "If China thinks it is very powerful and behave like a big brother, India will not bow down to it or any other country."

Noting that China was not a democracy but was being run through dictatorship, she said it can do what it feels as it is not accountable to anybody.

"But we are a democracy and have to work together. We want peaceful co-existence with all our neighbours. At the same time we cannot ever compromise when our nation's sovereignty and territorial integrity are violated," she said.

Banerjee exuded confidence that "India will win and China will lose".

"India has the strength and confidence" and the country will work unitedly towards it.

Twenty Indian Army personnel, including a colonel, were killed in a clash with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on June 15 night, the biggest military confrontation in over five decades that has significantly escalated the already volatile border standoff between the two neighbours.