India’s Congress attacks govt for removing Chinese intrusion report from website

NEW DELHI, Aug 6, 2020, India Today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the central government has come under a volley of attack by the opposition after the Ministry of Defence removed a report on Chinese intrusion in the Ladakh region from its website, India Today reported.

The defence ministry had earlier this week put out a note on its official website in which it referred to the Chinese aggression as “transgression” for the first time. The document admitted that Chinese forces had intruded into Indian territory in May. Describing the Chinese aggression in Ladakh as “transgressions”, India had in a document said the standoff is likely to be “prolonged” amid China has demand that India moves back in Pangong Lake.

This official document has been removed from the website of the Ministry of Defence.

However, in an unprecedented move, the ministry removed the documents from the official website on Thursday following a political controversy.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who had earlier quoted the reports on MoD documents and accused PM Modi of lying, once again took to social media to question the ministry’s decision to remove the documents from the public domain.

Rahul Gandhi claimed that PM Modi did not have the courage to even ‘name’ Chinese.

“Forget standing up to China, India’s PM lacks the courage even to name them. Denying China is in our territory and removing documents from websites won’t change the facts,” Rahul Gandhi said.

Meanwhile, Congress spokesperson Ajay Maken also trained his guns at the prime minister. Addressing a press conference, Ajay Maken questioned if the defence ministry trying to save PM Modi by withdrawing the document.

“PM Modi had said that no one has come into our side of the border, no one has taken our land and no one has taken our post. MoD has detailed major activities in the month of June on its website, but now it has been removed. Is the MoD trying to save the PM?” Ajay Maken said.

Quoting the defence ministry document, Ajay Maken said that Chinese forces had transgressed at different locations on May 17-18 and a violent clash took place on June 15. But, he said, the PM denied this on June 19.

“Is the MoD document true or what PM said was correct? And, why has this document removed?” Ajay Maken asked, directing the queries at the central government.

The Congress spokesperson said that the Chinese were holding ground while Indian forces have been asked to pull back.

“Chinese PLA has constructions in Depsang valley and DBO. Our soldiers have been asked to remove positions from Finger 4, while PLA continues to patrol between Fingers 4 and 8.

The Congress leader claimed that five Corps Commander-level meetings have failed to resolve the standoff.

“We want the government to tell us its roadmap. How long will this continue? What is our preparation for the upcoming winter?” Ajay Maken said, adding that the government must tell people of India about its strategy to deal with the situation.

He also raised a demand for a Parliament session. “We would like the government to convene the Parliament session to discuss the Chinese standoff, alongside coronavirus and the economic slowdown,” he said.