Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday sharpened attack in the Indian government within the face-off between your Indian and Chinese soldiers by which 20 Indian soldiers were killed.
“It’s now extraordinary that: 1. Chinese People attack in Galwan was pre-planned; 2. GOI was fast asleep and denied the trouble; 3. The retail price was paid by our martyred Jawans,” Gandhi said on Twitter.
He attached a news report together with his tweet wherein Union minister Shripad Naik said that the June 15 attack was “pre-planned by China”. He had made the remarks on Wednesday and stated that Indian forces will offer a befitting reply.
Gandhi had attacked the federal government on Thursday too, asking whether or not the Indian soldiers were brought to the website of your clash in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley “unarmed”.
“China has committed a criminal offense by killing India’s unarmed soldiers. I would like to know who sent these unarmed soldiers inside the harm’s way and why. Who is responsible? ” Gandhi had asked in Hindi during an 18-second video recording posted by him on Twitter.
Government entities declared that soldiers in the Monday night clash with Chinese troops were carrying weapons and ammunition but did not open fire as they were following border agreements between two countries.
“Let us have the facts straight. All troops on border duty always carry arms, specifically when leaving post. Those at Galwan on 15 June did so. Long-standing practice (based on 1996 & 2005 agreements) to never use firearms during faceoffs,” external affairs minister S Jaishankar tweeted, replying to a post by Gandhi.
Jaishankar and Gandhi were both reacting to an HT interview with Lt Gen (retired) HS Panag, who said “soldiers tend not to shoot arms to protect yourself from escalation from the situation”. Panag also said: “The Chinese, by design, came with clubs, with knuckle dusters.”
Indian and Chinese soldiers involved in their first deadly conflict in no less than 45 years at Patrol Point 14 in Galwan Valley, causing 20 deaths for the Indian side, including that of a commanding officer, as well as 43 casualties including injuries for the Chinese side during the seven-hour brutal brawl that involved hand-to-hand fighting.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said on Wednesday that India is a peace loving country but can give befitting reply if provoked. He had made the remarks prior to a video conference with chief ministers to discuss the Covid-19 situation in the nation.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh had mourned the death from the 20 soldiers, saying the nation will never forget their supreme sacrifice.