Modi denies intrusion by China, Sonia wants seized territories back

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Modi denies intrusion by China, Sonia wants seized territories back

Sonia Gandhi claimed that the government failed to use all avenues, and the result is the loss of 20 lives as well as dozens injured

Friday June 19, 2020 11:28 PM, ummid.com with inputs from IANS

New Delhi: Even as Congress President Sonia Gandhi asked Prime Minister Modi to assure the country that the Indian territories now under Chinese control will be taken back, the latter said there was no intrusion and no Indian post or territory has been occupied by anyone.

"The question is, 'What next? What is the way forward?' The entire country would like an assurance that status quo ante would be restored and China will revert back to the original position on the Line of Actual Control,"Sonia Gandhi said during the all party meeting called by Prime Minister Modi.

"We in the Congress Party believe that valuable time was lost between May 5 and June 6, the date on which the Corps Commanders meeting took place. Even after the June 6 meeting, efforts should have been made to talk directly, at the political and diplomatic levels, to the leadership of China, she said, as per a party statement.

'We are still in dark'

Gandhi claimed that the government failed to use all avenues, and the result is the loss of 20 lives as well as dozens injured.

"I would urge the Prime Minister to kindly share with us all the facts and the sequence of events beginning April this year till date," she said.

"We have some specific questions, for the Government: On which date did the Chinese troops intrude into our territory in Ladakh? When did the government find out about the Chinese transgressions into our territory? Was it on May 5, as reported, or earlier?

"Does the government not receive, on a regular basis, satellite pictures of the borders of our country? Did our external intelligence agencies not report any unusual activity along the LAC? Did the Military Intelligence not alert the government about the intrusion and the build-up of massive forces along the LAC, whether on the Chinese side or on the Indian side? In the government's considered view, was there a failure of intelligence?", Sonia asked.

"In fact, even at this late stage, we are still in the dark about many crucial aspects of the crisis," she added.

'Not an inch of Indian land taken by China'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the other hand ruled out any intrusion by China and said "not and inch of the India territory is taken by China".

"The Prime Minister clarified that neither is anyone inside our territory nor are any of our posts captured. He said that 20 of our brave soldiers made the supreme sacrifice for the nation in Ladakh but also taught a lesson to those who had dared to look towards our motherland. The nation will forever remember their valour and sacrifice," government sources said.

In the virtual meeting attended by 20 political parties, the Prime Minister said that our forces are doing whatever is necessary to protect the country. The sources said Modi assured "we are capable and nobody can take even an inch of our land."

'All of us are united'

Modi said that our army is capable to move in any sector simultaneously. He underscored that today all of us stand united with the soldiers defending our borders and repose full faith in their courage and bravery.

The Prime Minister said that the country today has such capability that no one can even dare look towards an inch of our land. He said that today, Indian forces are capable of moving together across sectors. While on the one hand, the Army has been given a free hand to take necessary steps, India has also conveyed its position clearly to China through diplomatic means.

He added that through the all-party meeting, he wants to assure the families of the martyrs that the entire country stands with them.

Modi assured the leaders that "the armed forces are leaving no stone unturned to protect the country. Be it deployment, action or counter action, through land, sea or air, our forces are taking the necessary steps to protect the country."

Defence Minister's earlier response

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had on June 2 said that Chinese soldiers have come in “goods numbers” at LAC in Ladakh and India has taken all necessary steps which are needed in the current situation.

“Aur acchi khasi sankha mein Cheen ke log bi aa gaye hain (and Chinese troops have also come in good numbers),” the defence minister told a news channel on stand-off at Ladakh sector between Indian and Chinese armies.

Singh said that currently China claims that the border is at one point and India claims that it is at another point and a dispute has risen.

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