New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday alleged that the central government has entered into an agreement with China in the backdrop of joint verification of the disengagement process by the Indian and Chinese armies at patrol post (Patrolling Point) 15 in the Gogra-Hotsprings area of eastern Ladakh and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of ceding 1,000 sq kms of Indian territory to China "without a fight", as reported by news agency PTI.
Attacking the government, Rahul Gandhi tweeted, "China has refused to accept India's demand of restoring status quo of April 2020. PM has given 1,000 sq km of territory to China without a fight." "Can the government of India explain how this territory will be retrieved?" he asked.
The opposition party said that the Narendra Modi government should clarify why the status of April 2020 was not restored and why the Indian Army patrolled earlier, was made a 'buffer zone'.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Srinet told media persons, "this is not the first time we are disengaging and creating buffer zones" out of destinations where Indian side was patrolling up to."
"First it happened in Galwan, then it happened in Gogra and now it is happening in Hotsprings. Why is our army being made to push back, why is our army being to give up patrolling points where we had been patrolling up until now," Shrinate said.
The former Congress president claimed, that the truth is that this is not disengagement, this compromise is being done by the government. It is beyond comprehension how this agreement was reached, in which we are giving up our own right of patrolling.
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Why is there no status quo ante as far as April 2020 is concerned, she asked.
"We also want to know that with cheap publicity and cheap popularity with domestic audience, why is our foreign security and foreign policy being compromised," the spokesperson said.
Congress spokesperson Supriya alleged that the Modi government was bringing down the morale of the army. She also said, we have lost control over an area of more than 1000 square kilometres. This has happened only to save the false image of Modi ji.
"It almost seems China is playing out a script, they come, they acquire a portion of our land, they stay there and then push us back from our patrolling points and our patrolling points get into buffer zones.
"Is this happening because China has seen chink in our armour which is that our prime minister is given to false propaganda, the PM is given to cheap popularity, the PM does not care about our territorial integrity or he does not care about our national security," Shrinate said.
What will happen about Depsang and Demchok, she asked.
"Why are we not able to patrol at Patrol Point 15, Patrol Point 14 in Galwan valley, and Patrol Point 17 in Gogra. Why is the government conspicuously silent as China comes and builds bridges, and lays down villages in Arunachal, kidnaps our citizens. Is this all happening because Modi ji is not being able to give up his love for China," she said, attacking the prime minister.
The armies of India and China have jointly verified the disengagement process of troops at Patrolling Point 15 in the Gogra-Hotsprings area in Eastern Ladakh.
(With PTI Inputs)