Opposition parties on Monday blamed the Narendra Modi-led government over the India-China troops clash in Arunachal Pradesh that took place on December 9. The Congress said that the government needs to take the nation into confidence by discussing the issue in Parliament.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in a tweet said, “Again our Indian Army soldiers have been provoked by the Chinese. Our jawans fought in a resolute manner and a few of them have been injured too.” “We are one with the nation on the issues of national security and would not like to politicize it. But the Modi government should be honest about the Chinese transgressions and the 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,” Kharge said, adding, “we are forever indebted to the valour and sacrifice of our soldiers.”
Indian and Chinese troops clashed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh on December 9, causing “minor injuries to a few personnel from both sides”, the Indian Army said on Monday, as reported by news agency PTI. The clash happened near Yangtse along the LAC. Both sides immediately disengaged from the area, the Army said. However, there was no mention of the number of troops involved in the face-off and those injured in the incident.
This was the first such incident since the fierce Galwan Valley clash in Ladakh in 2020.
The issue is likely to rock the Parliament on Tuesday with several Congress leaders set to move adjournment notices in both Houses for discussing the Indo-China troops clash issue.
AICC general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh on Monday said that China’s actions on the border are completely “unacceptable”.
“We are proud of the bravery of the armed forces. China’s actions on the border are completely unacceptable. For the last two years, we have been repeatedly trying to wake up the government, but the Modi government is trying to suppress the matter only to save its political image. The audacity of China is growing because of this,” Ramesh said in a tweet in Hindi.
In another tweet (in Hindi), Ramesh added, “No one is bigger than the country, but Modi ji is putting the country in danger to save his image.”
“In an attempt to make the intrusion in northern Ladakh permanent, China built 200 permanent shelters within 15-18 km of the LAC in Depsang, but the government remained silent. Now, this new worrying issue has come to the fore,” he said.
Congress’ Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor in a tweet said, “I’ve long argued that China has designs on Tawang, since they want to pre-empt the possibility of a future DalaiLama being identified at the birthplace of the 6thDL. Proud of our soldiers for standing up to the PLA.”
Meanwhile, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi said in a tweet that the issue needs an urgent discussion in Parliament and that he will be giving an adjournment motion on Tuesday.
“The army is capable of giving a fitting reply to the Chinese at any time. It is the weak political leadership under Modi which has led to this humiliation against China. This needs an urgent discussion in Parliament,” he tweeted.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted (in Hindi), “Our jawans are the pride of the nation. I salute their valour and pray to God for their speedy recovery.”
BJP MP from Arunachal Pradesh Tapir Gao said “border incidents” like the Tawang clash will hamper relations between the two countries.
“I was hurt when I heard about the December 9 incident. I condemn this. If PLA continues doing such things in the future, India-China relations will suffer,” he said in a video message on Monday.