The entire nation is mourning the loss of 20 Indian Army soldiers who gave the supreme sacrifice fighting the People’s Liberation of Army (PLA) troops in Galwan Valley, Ladakh. Heavy casualties have also been inflicted on China.
This is the first loss of lives along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) since 1975. The entire nation stands united behind the Indian Army but guess who is shamelessly making a political issue out of the confrontation? The Indian National Congress.
The Sonia Gandhi-led Indian National Congress has a history of refusing to stand firmly behind the country every time there is a Sino-India conflict, and in fact failing to take a pro-India stance every time on the National Security front.
This time around the Congress party and its leaders went berserk with politically charged tweets and statements targeting PM Modi. They are using a national security issue for petty political gains.
The Congress has put out several tweets on its official handle. It is running a Twitter trend- #WeakestPMModi, in an unabashed attempt to politicise the sacrifice of the 20 Indian Army Soldiers.
The Gandhi scion himself issued a detestable statement that reeks of political malice of the worst kind.
In the garb of showing concern for Indian soldiers and territorial integrity, he tweeted, “Why is the PM silent? Why is he hiding? Enough is enough. We need to know what has happened. How dare China kill our soldiers? How dare they take our land?” The main purpose of the distasteful tweet is of course to launch an invective on PM Modi.
Why is the PM silent?
Why is he hiding?Enough is enough. We need to know what has happened.
How dare China kill our soldiers?
How dare they take our land?— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 17, 2020
The Congress tweeted, “Our brave army personnel have been martyred & as our nation mourns this loss, our govt stands idly by & refuses to answer pertinent questions. PM Modi & Defence Minister must break their silence.”
Our brave army personnel have been martyred & as our nation mourns this loss, our govt stands idly by & refuses to answer pertinent questions. PM Modi & Defence Minister must break their silence.#WeakestPMModi pic.twitter.com/9SWPWwXowW
— Congress (@INCIndia) June 16, 2020
In another tweet, the Congress asked, “Why was the statement issued so late and then amended almost immediately?”
Why was the statement issued so late and then amended almost immediately?#WeakestPMModi pic.twitter.com/PQCfDHepsX
— Congress (@INCIndia) June 16, 2020
To put it on record, the Indian Army issued a statement Tuesday afternoon, confirming three casualties. The statement was later amended in order to add, “casualties suffered on both sides”.
In another disgusting tweet, the Congress said, “PM Modi what are you hiding? Why can’t you tell Indians the truth?”
PM Modi what are you hiding? Why can't you tell Indians the truth?#WeakestPMModi pic.twitter.com/7RS66JztzJ
— Congress (@INCIndia) June 16, 2020
Meanwhile, Congress leaders Randeep Surjewala and P. Chidambaram are also trying to politicise this issue.
Surjewala said, “To the distress and dismay of the entire Nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh remain absolutely ‘mum’.”
Meanwhile Chidambaram tweeted, “We have seen the official statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs that says nothing new after the news broke out at 12.52 pm today thanks to an Army WhatsApp group.”
We have seen the official statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs that says nothing new after the news broke out at 12.52 pm today thanks to an Army WhatsApp group.
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) June 16, 2020
The Congress has once again failed to stand firmly behind the Indian armed forces and the nation at large on a sensitive national security issue.
But we are not surprised, the Congress has a miserable track record on this front.
Only three years ago, when the Indian Army and the People’s Liberation Army were locked in a stand-off at Doklam, the Gandhi scion had set off secretly to meet the Chinese Ambassador Luo Zhaohui.
The Congress looks at national security issue through the binary of BJP vs Congress, and thus it ends up making unconscionable and shocking statements.
Even after the 1998 Pokhran Nuclear tests, the Congress questioned the Vajpayee government over the tests.
Salman Khurshid had said, “We don’t want to appear spoilsports who are denying the scientists their moment of glory. But we will be examining whether the decision to conduct the tests was an informed one. Also, the overall impact of the tests on the country’s future and the economy will have to be looked into. But that will come later.”
According to India Today, Mani Shankar Aiyar, too had urged Sonia Gandhi to unambiguously denounce the tests as being harbinger of an arms race in the region.
Then in 2009, the Congress also made it clear that it had nothing to do with the Kargil War. This was a blatant insult to the sacrifices of Indian Army officers and soldiers in the 1999 conflict.
Rashid Alvi, who was then a Rajya Sabha MP, said, “Kargil isn’t a thing to be celebrated. The war was fought within our territory. We didn’t even come to know when the Pakistani army crossed over and built bunkers inside our territory. It’s only the NDA which may celebrate.”
And as far as the issue of China is concerned, the Congress has always had a tendency to support the Chinese cause.
Nehru had backed China’s claim on a UN Security Council Permanent Seat, only to be backstabbed later in the 1962 Sino-India war.
In 2013, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops came in as deep as 18-19 kilometres into Indian territory. Though the Centre never admitted it, but the Shyam Saran report made the chilling revelation that India had lost 640 sq km of land due to “area denial” set by PLA patrolling.
The Congress has a track record of playing spoilsport on the national security front, especially where China is the other party in the dispute.
