The Congress on Thursday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on new Chinese villages coming up near the Doklam plateau and accused the BJP Government of compromising national security and India’s territorial integrity.
Addressing a press conference, party spokesperson Gourav Vallabh said the latest satellite images showed that China had built four villages in Bhutan, next to Doklam, over 100 sq km of land in the area through illegal incursions.
The Congress spokesperson said Bhutan’s boundary and external relations traditionally had been linked with India.
Also read | What is the Doklam issue all about?
“Why are we tolerating this all-round aggression from China and doing absolutely nothing about it? We urge the Prime Minister not to hide behind smokescreens and answer the people,” Mr. Vallabh said.
“The Modi Government’s unpardonable, blatant and brazen compromise of national security and India’s territorial integrity stands exposed once again. The Prime Minister and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh have undermined the astounding valour and insurmountable grit of our Armed forces, who face Chinese incursions and aggressions with indomitable courage and sacrifice,” he added
Congress general secretary and chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also shared the satellite images on Twitter and said, “100 Square KMs of ‘land grab’ and illegal incursion and setting four new villages by China in Bhutan, next to Doklam is a blow to India’s ‘National Security’. This happened between May-Nov 2021.”
“Why is PM ‘mum’? Who will defend National Security?” Mr. Surjewala asked.
These new villages lie near the Doklam plateau where India and China had a face off in 2017 and despite an agreement to disengage, China bypassed Indian defences to resume road construction activity in the region, Mr. Vallabh said.
Also read | China controls 1,000 sq. km of area in Ladakh
“Why is the Modi Government disrespecting and dishonouring the sacrifice of our brave soldiers? When will the Modi Government respond to this verbal, geographic, military and strategic aggression of China?” he asked
Over the past 18 months, Mr. Vallabh said, the Government had compromised India’s security by withdrawing from the dominant positions of the Kailash ranges and from Finger 4 to Finger 3 on the north bank of the Pangong Tso.
He also mentioned the alleged Chinese incursions in eastern Ladakh, including in the Depsang plains, and in Gogra and Hot Spring and the construction of a village on the Arunachal Pradesh border.
Mr. Vallabh said China, Pakistan and its proxy Government in Afghanistan also had security implications in Jammu and Kashmir, which has been witnessing a spike in terror attacks recently.
“We want full Statehood to be restored for Jammu and Kashmir. The elected Government of the State should take decisions,” he said.
