Why soldiers were sent unarmed to martyrdom: Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi once again hit out at the Narendra Modi government over the killing of 20 Indian soldiers by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in an unprecedented attack in Ladakh's Galwan Valley and asked why soldiers were sent "unarmed" to martyrdom.

"How dare China kill our unarmed soldiers? Why were our soldiers sent unarmed to martyrdom?" Rahul Gandhi asked the government in a tweet on Thursday.

His remarks came a day after he questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on the killing of Indian soldiers in Galwan Valley on Monday night.

On Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi in a tweet said, "Why is the Prime Minister silent? Why is he hiding? Enough is enough. We need to know what has happened. How dare China kill our soldiers? How dare they take our land?"

Later in the day, he also took a jibe at Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for taking two days to condole the death of 20 Indian soldiers, including an officer, in Ladakh's Galwan Valley.

"If it was so painful, why insult Indian Army by not naming China in your tweet? Why take two days to condole? Why address rallies as soldiers were being martyred? Why hide and get the Army blamed by the crony media? Why make paid-media blame Army instead of government of India?" Rahul said in a tweet on Wednesday.

The fresh salvo from the Congress leader came after Rajnath Singh on Wednesday afternoon condoled the death of 20 Indian soldiers, including an officer.

The Defence Minister in a tweet said, "The loss of soldiers in Galwan is deeply disturbing and painful. Our soldiers displayed exemplary courage and valour in the line of duty and sacrificed their lives in the highest traditions of the Indian Army."

Rajnath Singh had addressed a virtual BJP rally as part of 'Jan Samvad' on Sunday and Monday in Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand respectively.

At least 20 Indian soldiers, including an officer, were killed in an unprecedented violent clash with Chinese PLA troops at Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on Monday night.