Congress slams govt, to raise Tawang clash in House today

The Congress had planned to demand a discussion on the continuing border tension with China in both Houses, and the latest face-off between soldiers of the two sides has given the party fresh ammunition to sharpen its attack. Sources said Congress members will give notices in both Houses demanding suspension of other business to discuss the issue.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said: “We are one with the nation on issues of national security and would not like to politicise it, but the (Narendra) Modi government should be honest about Chinese transgressions and construction at all points near the LAC since April 2020. The government needs to take the nation into confidence by discussing this issue in Parliament.”

After the face-off in eastern Ladakh, Kharge said, Indian soldiers have been provoked again. “Our jawans fought in a resolute manner and a few of them have been injured, too,” he said.

Meanwhile, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said, “Our soldiers are the pride of this country. I salute their valour and pray to God for their speedy recovery.” The Congress argued that actions by the Chinese PLA soldiers is unacceptable.

Party’s general secretary in charge of communication, Jairam Ramesh, said: “We have been trying to wake the government up over the last two years but the Modi government had been trying to suppress the issue (of purported Chinese aggression) just to protect its political image.” As a result, he contended, China is “becoming more and more reckless”.

“No one is above the country, but Modi is putting the country in peril to protect his image,” Ramesh said. He claimed that China had built 200 permanent shelters inside Indian territory along the LAC in Depsang to continue incursions but the government remained a “mute spectator”.

Congress Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor said, “China has designs on Tawang since they want to preempt the possibility of a future Dalai Lama being identified at the birthplace of the sixth Dalai Lama.”