NEW DELHI : Armed Forces veterans have condemned ”undesirable and deplorable” comments made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on the present standoff with China at the Ladakh Border.
”We, the veterans, who have served long enough in the Army, Navy and Air Force, are seriously concerned with the recent undesirable tweets and comments of Mr Rahul Gandhi regarding the present standoff on the border in Ladakh between Indian and Chinese forces,” according to a statement signed by 71 veterans on Thursday.
”We wish Rahul Gandhi had gone through at least the history of this dispute and should never forget 1962, when the country was headed by none other than his great grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru and we were not only caught totally unprepared but had to suffer very humiliating defeat at the hands of China, despite the fact that our soldiers fought valiantly and caused huge casualties to China,” the veterans said.
The Congress on Wednesday stepped up its attack against the government over the alleged Chinese intrusion in Ladakh with senior party leader Rahul Gandhi questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the issue.
”The Chinese have walked in and taken our territory in Ladakh. Meanwhile, the PM is absolutely silent and has vanished from the scene,” Mr Gandhi has tweeted on Wednesday.
The veterans said it was a complete failure of the then political leadership in the country which resulted in the loss of India’s several thousands soldiers.
It is also to be noted that at that time, the ”top political leadership surrendered several thousand square kilometers of our territory which was occupied by China, including Aksai Chin and today’s dispute and standoffs are the consequences of that Himalayan blunder”.
”Whatever may be the motivation of making such statements, it is apparent to everyone that the same are devoid of correct facts and are against national security, which is our main concern. Everyone knows that Mr Gandhi was hobnobbing with Chinese diplomats when there was a standoff between India and China in 2017 in Doklam….. We all know that Mr Gandhi’s statements on Pakistan have been verbatim used and supported by Pakistani government and military, thereby encouraging the anti-national forces, including terrorism sponsored by ISI,” they said.
Such twisting of issues of military importance for petty political gains are highly deplorable, they maintained.
”Undoubtedly, such statements always undermine the morale and indomitable spirit of our armed forces, who are known to be the best professional forces in the world and have been in active action throughout since independence”.
The veterans called upon the entire nation, including the media, to condemn in one voice such uncalled for statements by Mr Gandhi. (AGENCIES)
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