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In a sharp response to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks claiming that India has lost a part of its territory to China, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said it is a matter of "deep regret" that Mr Gandhi should indulge in irresponsible politics on issues of national interest.
Speaking during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to President's address, the Leader of the Opposition yesterday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks, denying that Chinese forces are inside our territory, contradict Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi's statements.
"The Prime Minister has denied that Chinese forces are inside our territory, but for some reason, our army keeps talking to the Chinese about their entry into our territory and our Chief of Army Staff has said that the Chinese are inside our territory, this is a fact, this is not invention, this is a fact," Mr Gandhi said.
In his response, the Defence Minister said Mr Gandhi had made false allegations about the Army Chief's statement on the situation on the India-China border.
"The Army Chief's remarks referred only to the disturbance of traditional patrolling by both sides. He also mentioned that these practices have been restored to their traditional pattern as part of the recent disengagement. Government has shared these details in Parliament," he said. "The words attributed to the Army Chief by Shri Rahul Gandhi were never spoken by him at any time. It is a matter of deep regret that Shri Rahul Gandhi should indulge in irresponsible politics on matters of national interest," he said in a statement.
Taking a swipe at the Congress over territory lost during the 1962 Sino-Indian conflict, he said, "If at all there is Indian Territory into which China has come, this is 38,000 sq. km in Aksai Chin as a result of the 1962 conflict and 5,180 sq. km. illegally ceded by Pakistan to China in 1963. Shri Rahul Gandhi may consider introspecting about this phase of our history," he said.
In an interaction with the media last month, General Dwivedi had said India and China are still locked in a "degree of standoff" and the Army is looking at diplomatic negotiations to resolve the situation.
"As far as status of standoff (with China) is concerned...we have to see what all has changed since April 2020. Has the terrain been doctored over a period of time? Yes, both sides have doctored the terrain. Have both sides carried out constructions? Yes. Both sides have carried out some stocking, deployment? Yes. Therefore, what it means is that there is a degree of standoff," General Dwivedi said. The Army Chief said there is a need for the two sides to sit together and come to a broader understanding.