In US, Rahul Gandhi claims 'Chinese troops occupied land the size of Delhi in Ladakh', stokes fresh row| WATCH

First Published Sep 11, 2024, 10:32 AM IST | Last Updated Sep 11, 2024, 10:32 AM IST

Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has renewed his criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's handling of the India-China border issue, making a significant claim regarding the situation in Ladakh. Speaking at the National Press Club in Washington DC on Wednesday, Gandhi alleged that Chinese troops have occupied an area in Ladakh equivalent to the size of Delhi.

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Gandhi's remarks came amid a broader critique of the Modi government's approach to the border dispute. "If you call having Chinese troops in 4,000 square kilometres of our territory handling something well, then maybe we have got Chinese troops occupying land the size of Delhi in Ladakh. I think that's a disaster," Gandhi claimed.

Expanding on his criticisms, Gandhi questioned how the United States would respond if a neighbouring country occupied 4,000 square kilometers of its territory, suggesting that no American president could get away with such a situation without facing significant scrutiny.

“How would America react if a neighbour occupied 4000 square kilometres of your territory? Would any president be able to get away with saying that he's handled that well? So I don't think PM Modi handled China well at all. I think there's no reason Chinese troops should be sitting in our territory," the Congress leader added.

Here's a look at some of the reactions to Rahul Gandhi's latest remarks on X:

Rahul Gandhi's accusations regarding Chinese occupation in Ladakh are not new. Last year, he had previously accused Prime Minister Modi of misleading the opposition and the public about the Indo-China border situation, reiterating claims that China had seized Indian territory.

In response to these claims, Prime Minister Modi had assured political leaders that no Chinese troops had entered Indian territory and that no Indian posts had been captured. The Prime Minister's statements aimed to counter the allegations made by Gandhi and other critics.

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Earlier this year, Congress accused the Modi government of effectively giving China a "clean chit" and asserted that the encroachment would be addressed decisively when the Congress comes to power. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh claimed that the Modi administration was denying the extent of Chinese encroachment, stating that the Chinese had taken over 26 out of 65 patrolling points in Ladakh and had built entire villages 50-60 km inside Arunachal Pradesh. Ramesh supported his claims with satellite imagery and noted that BJP MP Tapir Gao had raised the issue in the Lok Sabha.

In contrast, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had stated earlier this year that China could not encroach upon even "a single inch" of Indian land under Modi's leadership. He also drew historical comparisons, referring to former Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's handling of the 1962 Indo-China war and the loss of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, suggesting that the Modi administration had not made similar concessions.

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