Echoing the party view on China in the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said, if the matter is not tackled properly it can lead to a serious situation.
Endorsing party chief Sonia Gandhi’s view that the face-off at the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh is a full blown crisis, Manmohan Singh said: “The crisis on the border, which if not tackled firmly, can lead to a serious situation.” Former Defence Minister A.K. Antony and Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, who attended the all-party meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi briefed the CWC on the border situation.
Manmohan Singh on Monday slammed the Prime Minister on the Chinese transgression accusing him of delivering “disinformation” following Modi’s statement in the all-party meeting and the later clarification by the PMO.
Singh said the Prime Minister should know the implication of his words. “The Prime Minister cannot allow them to use his words as a vindication of their position and must ensure that all organs of the Government work together to tackle this crisis and prevent it from escalating further,” said Singh.
Before the former Prime Minister, Congress President Sonia Gandhi also slammed the government saying that we have a “full-blown” crisis on the LAC with China.
Addressing the party leaders, she said, “Chinese troops have committed brazen transgressions into our territory in Pangong Tso Lake area and the Galwan Valley, Ladakh. True to its character, the government is in denial. The intrusion was detected and reported on May 5. Instead of a resolution, the situation deteriorated rapidly and there were violent clashes on June 15-16,” she said, adding that 20 Indian soldiers were martyred, 85 injured and 10 went missing until they were returned.
Hitting out at Modi she said, “The Prime Minister was called out when he announced that no one had intruded into Indian territory in Ladakh.” The Congress leader said that on matters of national security and territorial integrity, the nation has always stood together and this time too, there is no second opinion.
“The Congress Party was the first to offer its total support to the Armed Forces and the government. However, there is a growing feeling among the people that the government has gravely mishandled the situation,” she said.
Sonia added that the future is yet to “unfold” but we hope that “mature diplomacy” and “decisive leadership” will inform the government’s actions in protecting our territorial integrity. She also urged the government that peace, calm and the restoration of the status quo ante along the LAC be the only guiding principles in our national interest.
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