PM Modi in Ladakh, Rahul Gandhi fires another jibe over border stand-off

On the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an unannounced trip to a forward post in Ladakh, where Indian army is involved in a tense stand-off with China, Rahul Gandhi tweeted a jibe, once again asking “who took our land” along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

“Ladakhis say:China took our land. PM says: Nobody took our land. Obviously, someone is lying,” tweeted the Congress leader, tagging a short video clip of people from the region alleging that China has come into Indian territory.

Titled ‘Ladakh Speaks’, the video had people across the divide alleging China has ingressed into Ladakh. The clip ends asking “Why is the PM silent?”.

In one of his earlier tweets, Rahul Gandhi played upon the word surrender to take a swipe at the PM, calling him “Surender Modi”, and alleging that China has been building its presence along the LAC.

In an address to soldiers in Ladakh, designed to send a message to China, PM Modi underscored that India had always pursued the path of peace in the world and said the weak can never initiate peace. Bravery and courage is a prerequisite for peace, he added.

“The enemy has seen your fire and fury as well,’ PM Modi told the soldiers. The PM also referred to the violent clash between soldiers of India and China at Galwan on June 15 and paid his tributes to 20 soldiers who laid down their lives for the country. “You have given a befitting reply to people who attempted to conquer,” he said.

Without naming China, that has been trying to encroach into Indian territory in Galwan valley and Pangong Tso and create new boundary disputes, PM Modi said the era of expansionism was over. This is the time for development, not expansion, he said.

HT