Soon after Union Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik said that the attack on the Indian soldiers by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) was pre-planned, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi sharpened his attack on the Narendra Modi government saying the government was caught sleeping.
Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi:
"It's now crystal clear that -- the Chinese attack in Galwan was pre-planned, the Government of India was fast asleep and denied the problem and the price was paid by our martyred Jawans (soldiers)," Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet, attaching a news report. His remarks came soon after Naik while speaking in Panaji said that the June 15 attack on the Indian soldiers by the PLA troops was pre-planned and the Indian Army will give a befitting reply.
Rahul Gandhi, who did not celebrate his 50th birthday on Friday slammed the government at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to hold an all party meeting later in the day over the India-China border faceoff and killing of 20 Indian soldiers, including an officer by Chinese PLA troops issue.
On Thursday, he raised questions about the soldiers being sent unarmed to face the Chinese on the LAC. "By killing the unarmed soldiers of India, China has committed a big mistake. I want to ask who sent them unarmed towards the danger and why, who is responsible?" Rahul Gandhi said in a video message.
He questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on the killing of the Indian soldiers in the Galwan Valley on Wednesday. "Why is the Prime Minister silent? Why is he hiding? Enough is enough. We need to know what has happened. How dare China kill our soldiers? How dare they take our land?"
Later in the day, he also took a jibe at Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for taking two days to condole the death of the 20 Indian soldiers. "If it was so painful, why insult Indian Army by not naming China in your tweet? Why take two days to condole? Why address rallies as soldiers were being martyred? Why hide and get the Army blamed by the crony media? Why make paid-media blame Army instead of government of India?" Rahul said in a tweet on Wednesday. Rajnath Singh had addressed a virtual BJP rally as part of 'Jan Samvad' on Sunday and Monday in Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand respectively.
At least 20 Indian soldiers, including an officer, were killed in an unprecedented violent clash with Chinese PLA troops in Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on Monday night.