Modi govt remained mute spectator on Chinese transgression, govt secrecy or silence unacceptable: Congress  

Asserting that there could be no compromises on national security, the Congress on Tuesday accused the Modi government of remaining a "mute spectator" to the Chinese transgressions into Indian territory at three points in Ladakh since April-May 2020.

"The Modi government has remained a mute spectator," the party said in a statement issued by its spokespersons Randeep Singh Surjewala after reports of the killing of three Indian personnel by the Chinese Army in the Galwan Valley area a day earlier.

"There can be no compromises on India's security and territorial integrity. Reports of Chinese Army moving thousands of troops in the Galwan Valley and Pangong Tso lake area (Ladakh) has shocked the entire nation as an audacious attempt on our territorial integrity," the statement added.

The Congress also questioned the government "silence" on the issue and echoed party senior leader AK Antony, a former Defence Minister, to demand that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh come forward and tell the country about the stand-off with China. The party asked:

• Is it true that Chinese have killed an officer and soldiers of Indian Army in the Galwan Valley? Is it true that Indian soldiers have also been critically injured? If so, why are PM Modi & Defence Minister maintaining absolute silence?
• The reported statement of Indian Army suggests that Indian Army officer and soldiers were killed yesterday night as ‘the de-escalation process’ was underway in the Galwan Valley. Will the PM and Raksha Mantri take the Nation into confidence as to how could our officer and soldiers be killed as the Chinese were reportedly withdrawing from our territory in the Galwan Valley? How and under what circumstances were our officer and soldiers martyred?
• If our officer and soldiers had been killed yesterday night, why was the statement issued today at 12.52 PM and why was the statement changed after 16 minutes at 1.08 PM?
• Prime Minister and the Defence Minister have repeatedly maintained an intriguing silence on the occupation of our territory by the Chinese since April/May, 2020 and have refused to answer any questions in public domain.Will the Prime Minister and Defence Minister now come forward to tell the Nation as to how much of our territory has been illegally occupied by the Chinese, post April/May, 2020, and what are the circumstances that have led to killing of our brave officer and soldiers by the Chinese, instead of the Chinese being forced to retreat to their original position on ‘Line of Actual Control’? Will the Prime Minister come forward and take the Nation into confidence?
• Will the Prime Minister tell the Nation as to how the government proposes to   meet this challenging situation which has serious ramifications for India’s ‘National Security and Territorial Integrity’?

"The Congress remains firm that the entire country stands as one to protect India's national security and territorial integrity at all costs. Let the Modi government remember that in our parliamentary democracy, secrecy or silence are unacceptable on part of our government," the party said.

The Congress said that not a single battle casualty among Indian soldiers had occurred on the India-China Line of Actual Control in over four decades.

With IANS inputs