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Retweet of PM Modi’s old tweets in Tharoor’s reminder on China’s Ladakh aggression
Congress has been demanding a detailed account of the Ladakh clash between China and Indian Army
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday retweeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tweets from the year 2013 and 2014-- when Modi was Gujarat chief minister-- questioning the then UPA government’s China policy while advocating the need for a “strong” government at the centre.
Tharoor put out a series of three tweets posted by Modi on May 13, 2013, February 8, 2014 and August 15, 2013 respectively, however, the Congress leader didn’t post any comments along with his re-tweets.
“China withdraws its forces but I wonder why Indian forces are withdrawing from Indian territory? Why did we retreat?,” Modi, then Gujarat chief minister, had asked in a tweet dated May 13, 2013.
On 15 April 2013, a platoon of Chinese troops established an encampment of four tents southeast of Daulat Beg Oldi, 19km inside the Indian territory, triggering a 21-day standoff. Two months later, the same year, Chinese soldiers again intruded into the Chumar sector in Ladakh on June 17.
“Today security of the nation is under threat. What did China do? They enter our borders and we silently watch,” Modi had tweeted on Independence Day in 2013. Tharoor re-tweeted it seven years later on Thursday.
Tharoor’s re-tweets come close on the heels of an offensive by Congress leadership asking the government to explain the circumstances of the June 15 clash between Chinese and Indian Army soldiers that led to 20 Indian soldiers losing their lives. According to an estimate by the United States, 33 Chinese soldiers also lost their lives in the violent face off. Indian Army officials claim 43 Chinese soldiers were killed or seriously injured, citing radio intercepts and other intelligence.
This is first such deadly clash between the two sides since 1975, when the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China ambushed an Indian patrol in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tulung La sector in the month of October and shot dead four soldiers.
Earlier today, Rahul Gandhi asked the government to explain why Indian soldiers were unarmed during the clash on the LAC at Galwan Valley.
“China has committed a crime by killing India’s unarmed soldiers. I want to know who sent these unarmed soldiers in the harm’s way and why. Who is responsible,” Rahul Gandhi asked in a video posted on his Twitter account.
In his earlier reactions, Rahul had accused the prime minister and the defence minister of keeping silent on the issue of Chinese aggression and demanded to know ‘how much of Indian territory had been occupied by the Chinese’ in recent transgressions.
Tharoor’s final re-tweet of PM Narendra Modi’s previous tweets from the year 2013 and 2014, cited Modi’s advocacy for a “strong” government at the centre to “change” the routine incidents of getting “troubled” by neighbours.
“A noble nation like ours is being troubled by our neighbours, while the Centre stands helplessly. We need a strong government to change this,” Modi had tweeted on February 8, 2014.
Three and half months later that year, Modi became the prime minister of India after the BJP stormed into power – largely riding on his popularity—by winning 282 seats in the Lok Sabha elections.
Yesterday, PM Narendra Modi reacted to the recent bloodbath at the LAC and said that India will “firmly” protect every inch of the country’s land and its self-respect. He added that while India had a policy of peaceful co-existence with neighbours, valour was equally part of India’s tradition.
PM has called an all party meeting on Friday to discuss the current face off at the LAC which has led to India loding a strong protest with China
