Rahul Gandhi Targets Modi Govt Over LAC Stand-Off Again

Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi on Friday, once again targeted the Narendra Modi government at the Centre over the stand-off between Chinese and Indian troops in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on Monday night in which 20 Indian military personnel were martyred. Citing a news report in which Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik claimed that the attack on Indian soldiers by the Chinese was a pre-meditated one, Rahul Gandhi in his Twitter post said that the Government of India was sleeping with regard to this pre-planned attack.

From the time that Indian and Chinese troops clashed in the Galwan valley of Eastern Ladakh, Rahul Gandhi has been hitting out at the BJP-led government at the Centre. The Congress leader earlier questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence in the matter. As it turned out, PM Modi convened an all-party meeting via video conference scheduled to be held on Friday at 5 PM.

Rahul Gandhi earlier, also wondered as to who was responsible for the martyrdom of 20 soldiers and why they were sent unarmed to the scene of the clash.

The Minister for External Affairs, Dr. S Jaishankar clarified that all soldiers on border areas were equipped with arms. In his post on Twitter Dr Jaishankar observed "let us get the facts straight. All troops on duty border duty always carry arms, especially when leaving post. Those at Galwan on 15 June did so. Long standing practice as per (1996 and 2005) agreements not to use firearms during face-offs."