Chinese up to 18 km inside LAC: Congress leader Pallam Raju

Senior Congress leader and former Minister of State for Defence Pallam Raju on Friday claimed that Chinese troops had occupied Indian territory up to 18 km inside of the Line of Actual Control in the Depsang plains.

Addressing a press conference, Pallam Raju said: "In an alarming threat to our national security and territorial integrity, China has now occupied our territory up to 18 km inside the LAC, in the Depsang plains, up to the Y-Junction or the bottleneck, as per multiple reports."

"The Chinese forces are now 7 km short of the Ladakhi town of Burtse, on the Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie Road. Reports also suggest that China has come as close as 25 km from the crucial airstrip of Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO), that is within their artillery range," Raju added.

Both Raju and another Congress leader and former Union MoS Jitendra Singh said that Congress again asked why the Modi government was afraid to acknowledge Chinese incursion in the Galwan Valley and Depsang plains.

"The Chinese had made incursions in Depsang plains in 2013 also. The then UPA government stood firm and ensured the withdrawal of the Chinese forces to reclaim our LAC. The current government unfortunately refuses to even acknowledge any incursion, thereby weakening the morale of our soldiers," Jitendra Singh claimed.

The party said that satellite images suggested that China had made fresh transgressions and new constructions between June 6 and June 24.

Asserting that the nation stood with the brave Indian Army, the party questioned "why was the Modi government demoralizing our brave solders by issuing contradictory statements".

"This government's diplomacy is not helping in protecting and restoring India's territorial integrity," the party said.

Both leader also questioned what all had India gained from the Prime Minister's personal outreach to various countries in general and China in particular.

The Congress also wanted to know benefits to India from five trips of Modi to China, three trips of the Chinese leadership to India and 18 meetings between Modi and Xi Jinping.

The Congress is observing Friday as 'Shaheed Samman Diwas' and its leaders are participating in 'speak up for jawan' campaign to corner the NDA government on Chinese transgression in Ladakh and other places.