Congress wants discussion on China's "land grabbing" issue at budget session

New Delhi: The Congress urged that the government's "weak-kneed approach" toward China be discussed during the Budget session of Parliament on Friday after taking serious note of a research paper delivered at the DGP-IGP annual conference.

Speaking on behalf of the Congress, Pawan Khera pressed Prime Minister Narendra Modi to state whether he still "loves" the country or is "afraid" of China.

Addressing a press conference, he said PM Modi's clean chit to China has been shredded into pieces by a Police Meet security paper, alleging that the Modi government's "continued denial" of Chinese illegal occupation and construction of infrastructure has emboldened China and compromised India's national security.

"The DGP-IGPs conference exposes the Modi government's 'weak-kneed approach towards China," he alleged, noting that the recent three-day conference attended by PM Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval "ironically exposed Modi government's absolute apathy" to what was happening in eastern Ladakh at the LAC with China."

The Congress leader alleged that a detailed security research paper submitted for discussion has revealed shocking facts about the rank apathy by the Modi government to China's illegal occupation of India's territory in the region.

He claimed that the report says that India has lost access to 26 out of 65 patrolling points (PP) which was not the case before May 2020 and the subsequent Galwan clash where 20 Bravehearts sacrificed their lives.

"The Congress asks why after 17 rounds of military talks, the Modi government has not ensured the status quo ante even after almost three years of the Galwan clash? Given the fact that a DGP level paper has flagged this highly sensitive issue, will the Modi government tell the nation why it has conceded India's rightful hold on our territory to China," he asked.

Khera also alleged that the Modi Government did not heed Congress' demand for a discussion in Parliament on this issue, asking if it will continue to keep the country in the dark or tell the nation the truth about China's "illegal occupation".

"We demand immediate discussion on this issue in Parliament, in the forthcoming Budget session. India's territorial integrity and sovereignty are at stake and we should do everything possible, together to uphold it. Enough of 'clean chits' to China, now, the time has come for the Modi government to come clean on China," he said.

The Congress leader claimed that the paper says, "Presently, there are 65 PPs starting from Karakoram pass to Chumur which are to be patrolled regularly by the ISFs (Indian Security Forces). Out of 65 PPs, our presence has been lost in 26 PPs (i.e. PP no. 5-17, 24-32, 37, 51,52,62) due to restrictive or no patrolling by the ISFs.

"Later on, China forces us to accept the fact that, as such areas have not seen the presence of ISFs or civilians for a long, the Chinese were present in these areas. This leads to a shift in the border under the control of ISFs towards the Indian side and a buffer zone is created in all such pockets which ultimately leads to the loss of control over these areas by India. This tactic of PLA to grab land inch-by-inch is known as Salami Slicing," the Congress leader further claimed to quote from the paper.

He also alleged that the report says the PLA has taken advantage of the buffer areas in this de-escalation talks by placing their best cameras on the highest peaks and is monitoring the movements of Indian forces in areas like the Blacktop, Helmet top mountains in Chushul, at Demchok, at Kakjung, at Gogra Hills in Hot Springs and Depsang Plains near Chip Chip river.

With PTI inputs