New Delhi, Feb 12 (UNI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a coward who cannot stand up to the Chinese, reacting to which MoS Home G Kishan Reddy said the Congress leader must "ask his grandfather Nehru about who has given India territory to China.'

Union Minister R K Singh said Rahul Gandhi neither understands anything nor does he put efforts to do so. Rahul Gandhi's remark is immature, Mr Singh said.

Mr Gandhi's remarks come a day after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh assured Parliament that India has not conceded anything in the sustained talks with China and it will not allow even an inch of its territory to be taken away by anyone.

Addressing a press conference, the Gandhi scion questioned why the prime minister did not make a statement on the LAC situation.

"Why has he asked the Defence Minister to make the statement, the Prime Minister should say - I have given Indian land to China, this is the truth," the Wayanad MP alleged.

India has not conceded any of its territory as a result of the disengagement agreement with China, Defence Ministry said in a statement that came hours after the Congress leader alleging that Prime Minister has "ceded" Indian territory to the Chinese.

"India has not conceded any territory as a result of this agreement. On the contrary, it has enforced observance and respect for LAC and prevented any unilateral change in the status quo," the statement added.

Permanent posts of both sides at the north bank of Pangong Tso are longstanding and well-established. On the Indian side, it is Dhan Singh Thapa Post near Finger 3 and on the Chinese side, east of Finger 8. The current agreement provides for cessation of forward deployment by both sides and continued deployment at these permanent posts, it added.

The Ministry reiterated that the factual position has already been clearly communicated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in his statements to both the Houses of the Parliament.

UNI SV SB 1749