PM 'running away' from debate on China in Parliament: Congress

NEW DELHI: A day after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused PM Narendra Modi of ducking the China challenge despite incursions and encroachment, the party doubled down on its accusations and said Modi was "running away" from a debate on the border issue in Parliament.
Communications chief Jairam Ramesh said India demands and deserves answers on the prevailing situation on India's eastern borders and asked the government to explain what emboldened the Chinese to try taking over the Indian post in the Yangtse area of Tawang after two years of a protracted "disengagement". He said India has dominated Yangtse since former PM Rajiv Gandhi deployed forces there in 1986 during the Sumdorong Chu confrontation, asking how the Chinese has been allowed to open a new front.
In a statement where he said Chinese intrusions have reportedly become bigger and more frequent in the eastern sector, Ramesh said, "Previous governments had the confidence to take journalists and MPs to the front in 1965, 1971 and to Kargil in 1999. Even Doklam was discussed in the Parliamentary standing committee on defence. What is the PM hiding from the people of India? Why is he running away from a discussion?".
Congress, which has been attempting to raise the issue in Parliament since fresh military engagement occured in Tawang last week, also alleged that Modi does not utter the word "China" and wondered if the government is "silent" because Modi had claimed to share a "brotherhood and close ties" with Chinese Premier Xi Jinping. He also raised the slogan "Pradhan Mantri ji cheen par chuppi todo, Bharat Jodo (Mr Prime Minister, break the silence on China, unite India)", reiterating the party's demand for a debate in Parliament over the border issue and that Modi, not defence minister Rajnath Singh, should field questions from the opposition.
Congress also flagged concerns raised by the IAF that it is 12 squadrons short of the desired fighter strength and asked the government why Army recruitment under the Agnipath Scheme has sharply dropped.