Kargil, August 25th – Reviving the contentious border matter, Rahul Gandhi, a prominent figure in the Congress party, asserted on Friday that the inhabitants of Ladakh are well aware of China’s encroachment on Indian territory. He contradicted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assertion that no land had been seized by stating that this claim was “completely untrue.”
Gandhi’s comments followed a recent exchange between Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during an informal conversation on the sidelines of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) summit in Johannesburg. During his nine-day tour of Ladakh, where he addressed a public gathering on the final day, Gandhi mentioned that his firsthand visit to the region had affirmed China’s occupation of significant stretches of Indian land, particularly near Pangong Lake.
He remarked, “Ladakh holds strategic significance, and from my recent motorcycle journey through the region, it was glaringly evident that China has seized thousands of kilometers of our land. Regrettably, the prime minister’s statement during an opposition meeting that no part of our land was lost is categorically false.”
Gandhi claimed that the residents of Ladakh were well-acquainted with the fact that China had encroached upon Indian territory, accusing the prime minister of deception. This was not the first time Gandhi had raised the border issue during his Ladakh tour. Earlier, he contested Modi’s assertion that China hadn’t occupied any land in Ladakh.
India’s Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra had previously communicated India’s concerns about unresolved border issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to President Xi. Kwatra emphasized that maintaining peace along border areas was crucial for normalizing India-China relations. The strained ties between the two nations stem from the Eastern Ladakh border dispute that began in May 2020.
Despite diplomatic and military discussions leading to disengagement in some areas, Indian and Chinese troops remain locked in a standoff in certain friction points in eastern Ladakh. During his public address, Gandhi pledged support to the Leh-based Apex body and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), advocating for their demands for full statehood and safeguards under the sixth schedule of the Constitution. He assured that the Congress party would oppose any attempts by the BJP to hand over the resource-rich lands of Ladakh to corporate entities.
Gandhi’s discourse also touched upon Ladakh’s need for political representation, cultural preservation, employment opportunities, and infrastructure improvement. He underscored Congress’ solidarity with these causes and criticized BJP’s alleged intentions to favor corporate interests.
Both the Apex body and KDA are jointly advocating for four-point demands, including full statehood, constitutional safeguards, separate parliamentary constituencies, and job opportunities for Ladakh’s youth. These entities emerged after the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was revoked, leading to the creation of Union territories.
Gandhi concluded his speech by reaffirming his commitment to raising Ladakh’s concerns in the upcoming parliamentary session. Following his address, he interacted with attendees, and prominent political figures from Ladakh and other regions were present at the public rally, including leaders from the Ladakh Congress and National Conference.
