The Congress on Sunday reacted to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s recent statement in Parliament on the border situation in Ladakh and demanded a debate on the “full gamut” of Indo-China relations, focusing on both strategic and economic policy.
“The INC reiterates the demand it has been making for the last few years – that Parliament should be given an opportunity to debate the full initiative of India-China relations, reflecting collective national resolve. This debate should focus on both strategic and economic policy, especially as our dependence on China grows economically. Four years ago, our Even if the status quo of the border is changed unilaterally,” Congress MP and general secretary in-charge Jairam Ramesh said in a statement.
On Wednesday, Jaishankar made statements in both houses of Parliament citing friction points in the Galwan Valley and Pangong Tso, where military disengagement was achieved by creating buffer zones two years ago. He said that in 2020 temporary and limited phases of work were carried out in some other places where there was friction.
His statement was followed by a brief ruckus in the House, and opposition MPs walked out after Rajya Sabha Speaker Jagdeep Dhankhar refused to seek an explanation.
In its statement, the Congress said that “it is unfortunate, but typical of the Modi government that MPs are not allowed to seek any clarification”.
The Congress MP asked the government set questions and said the first communication on the “crisis” with China “came on June 19, 2020 when the Prime Minister (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) publicly gave a clean chit to China and falsely said, ‘Na koi hamari seema mein ghus aya. There is no entry.”
“This not only insults our martyred soldiers, but also weakens India’s position in subsequent negotiations. What prompted the Prime Minister to make this claim?” The party said.
The Congress said that on October 22, 2024, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi reiterated India’s long-standing position, saying, “As far as we are concerned, we want to go back to the status quo of April 2020…. Then we will look at disengagement, de-escalation and normal management of the LAC.” “
The Congress said that after the 32nd meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Matters on December 5, 2024, a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs said, “The two sides have positively confirmed the implementation of the most recent disengagement agreement. Resolution of issues arising in 2020 Done.” The party asked that it “not reveal a change in our official position”.
The Congress said Jaishankar had said in Parliament that “(i) some other places where friction has occurred in 2020, steps of a temporary and limited nature have been worked out, based on local conditions, to eliminate the possibility of further friction”. The party said “this clearly refers to the so-called ‘buffer zone’ in which our troops and herdsmen are denied the access they had earlier”.
“Taken together these statements suggest that the MEA is accepting the agreement not to return the LAC to its April 2020 status quo as desired by the military and the nation,” it said.
The Congress also asked why the Chinese government could not confirm any details about the divorce of Depsang and Demchok.