New Delhi, Feb 4 (PTI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has sharply rebuked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for allegedly making "false accusations" about the Army Chief's comments on the situation at the India-China border.
In a post on social media platform X, Singh stated, "The words attributed to the Army Chief by Shri Rahul Gandhi were never spoken by him at any time. It is deeply regrettable that Shri Gandhi should indulge in irresponsible politics on matters of national interest."
The controversy erupted after Gandhi's speech in the Lok Sabha on Monday, during the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address. The Congress leader claimed that China had intruded into Indian territory, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi had denied the allegation. Gandhi further argued that the Army contradicted the Prime Minister's stance, saying that the Chinese were inside Indian territory.
“The PM has denied that Chinese forces are inside our territory, but for some reason, our Army keeps engaging with the Chinese regarding their entry into our territory. Our Chief of Army Staff has stated that the Chinese are inside our territory,” Gandhi said in his address.
On Tuesday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh responded, calling these claims “false.” He clarified that the Army Chief's comments had only referred to the disruption of traditional patrolling by both India and China, which had been restored following recent disengagement agreements. Singh emphasized that the government had provided detailed updates about this in Parliament.
Singh also addressed the issue of territorial disputes, asserting that if any Indian land had been occupied by China, it was the 38,000 sq. km in Aksai Chin, a region taken during the 1962 conflict, as well as an additional 5,180 sq. km ceded by Pakistan to China in 1963. Notably, Congress was in power during these historical events.
“Gandhi may consider introspecting this phase of our history,” Singh remarked.
In a related development, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Tuesday submitted a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, requesting the initiation of breach of privilege proceedings against Rahul Gandhi. Dubey accused the Congress leader of spreading "blatant lies and engaging in a vilification campaign" during his speech. The BJP MP further argued that Gandhi was abusing his parliamentary privilege by making unverified claims, including allegations that mobile phones were not manufactured in India but merely assembled here, as well as asserting that China had captured Indian territory.
The BJP's objections to Gandhi's speech sparked intense protests in the Lok Sabha on Monday, highlighting the ongoing political tension surrounding the India-China border issue.
