The Congress party has called for a White Paper and a comprehensive discussion on the border situation between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Former Union Minister Manish Tewari, addressing a press conference at the Congress headquarters, highlighted the contradiction between Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement in 2020 and the official statement by the External Affairs Ministry regarding the Galwan incident. Tewari stated that while the Prime Minister claimed no intrusion had occurred, the ministry clearly stated that Chinese soldiers attempted to intrude and set up tents on the Indian side of the border.
As the responsible Opposition, the Congress is demanding a thorough discussion on the India-China border dispute during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament. Tewari emphasized the need for a White Paper to provide clarity on the developments that have taken place on the LAC in the past three years. He questioned the frequency of border-level talks and the purpose behind continuous discussions if there were no intrusions.
Tewari also raised concerns about the alleged loss of control over 26 patrolling points on the LAC and the creation of buffer zones within Indian borders. He questioned why the issue of China’s transgressions on the LAC was not discussed in Parliament or the Parliamentary Standing Committee of the Ministry of Defence. Tewari further pointed out the significant discussion between Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and his Chinese counterpart during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting in September 2020, contradicting the Prime Minister’s claim of no entry into Indian territory.
The Congress party is seeking transparency and accountability from the government regarding the India-China border situation, urging a comprehensive examination of the matter.
