‘Need to know the truth’: Akhilesh Yadav doesn’t agree with PM Modi’s statement on China
Akhilesh Yadav asked if the Chinese build-up at the LAC leading to clashes in Galwan Valley was undetected despite modern surveillance capabilities. He said it was an important question concerning national security.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has demanded that the central government tell the “truth” regarding recent Chinese incursions that led to violent clashes in the Galwan Valley along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, claiming lives of 20 Indian soldiers on June 15. Akhilesh also said that he didn’t agree with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement at the recently held all-party meet regarding the status at the China border, which had triggered a political controversy.
“The government should tell the truth to the people. People want to know exactly what happened at the border. BJP wants to say everything but the truth to the public. There are reports that Chinese troops build up at the LAC in Ladakh continues, this raises a big question over our national security,” Akhilesh said in an exclusive interview with Hindustan editor-in-chief Shashi Shekhar.
Akhilesh was referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement in which he claimed that “no one has entered our territory, no one is at present within our territory and no one has occupied our posts”, while sharing details of circumstances surrounding clashes between Indian and Chinese army personnel.
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“I do not agree with the statement given by the prime minister, there are several Indians who do not agree with his statement. This is an issue concerning national security and integrity; therefore it is important that the people and political parties are told the truth,” Akhilesh said.
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Akhilesh said that his party stands with the government on the issue of national security but expressed surprise how Chinese managed to increase their build up at the LAC leading to incursions attempting to change the status quo without getting noticed. He added that the Doklam incident should have served as a warning to the Indian government.
“The question around China is a big one. India faces greater threat from China than Pakistan. The leaders from Samajwadi Party have said that before,” Akhilesh said.
The Samajwadi Party leader, who has also previously served as the chief minister of India’s largest state of Uttar Pradesh, backed measures including economic ones to contain China but not without ensuring that it doesn’t impact Indian businesses and markets.
“SP has told the Centre that we need a long term strategy to contain China or we won’t succeed. We need to protect our markets and our business leaders. We can’t take rash decisions that adversely impact our economy,” Akhilesh said.
He said that his party has maintained that India should upgrade its infrastructure on borders along China. He added that SP has been demanding construction of a highway at Lipulekh since 2012.
Hitting out at the BJP government’s handling of the border crisis with China, Akhilesh said that the BJP tends to blame the previous Congress governments at the Centre instead of talking about its own work.
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