Why isn’t Centre discussing Chinese incursions in Parliament, asks Congress


Congress leader Jairam Ramesh. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

The Congress on Saturday stepped up its attack on the Narendra Modi government over the alleged Chinese incursions in Arunachal Pradesh.

The party’s communication chief Jairam Ramesh, in a statement, posed several questions to the Prime Minister and claimed that the incursion into Tawang was shortly after Mr. Modi shook hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Bali.

He added that China continues to “unilaterally alter the boundary and the government needs to take the nation into confidence”.

Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge took to Twitter to demand a discussion over the issue in Parliament. He said the Chinese build-up in Doklam up to Jampheri ridge is a threat to India’s strategic Siliguri corridor, the gateway to northeastern States, and is of utmost concern for national security. Tweaking a popular BJP slogan, he further asked the PM when will the nation have a “Chine pe charcha”.

His comments come a day after Rahul Gandhi had claimed that “China was preparing for war while the Modi government was sleeping”.

Hitting back at Mr. Gandhi, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi accused the Congress of taking bribes from China in the form of donation for the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation.

More questions raised

“On June 20, 2020, why did you say that there has been no incursion by China into Indian territory in Eastern Ladakh? Why have you allowed the Chinese to stop our troops from accessing thousands of square kilometres in Eastern Ladakh where we were regularly patrolling prior to May 2020?” asked Mr Ramesh.

The party also asked why the government abandoned a July, 2013 decision to establish Mountain Strike Corps.

“Why have you allowed Chinese companies to contribute to PM CARES Fund? Why have you allowed imports from China to zoom to record levels in the last two years?” asked Mr Ramesh. He also went on to question why the PM was insisting that there should be no debate in Parliament on the border situation and the challenges the country face from China.

Mr. Ramesh added that the Prime Minister had a moral and political duty to answer to these questions in his Mann Ki Baat programme.



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