NEW DELHI: Charging the Narendra Modi government with turning a blind eye to a high degree of Chinese military buildup at the Doklam plateau, as brought out by media reports and satellite imagery, the Congress today said the Modi Government was severely compromising India’s National security and strategic interests.
Talking to reporters here, AICC media incharge Randeep Surjewala said, ”Congress has always maintained that there can be no political viewpoints on Doklam issue and the sole criteria needs to be “national interest”, which needs to protected at all costs.
But the listless attitude of the Modi Government has forced us to doubt its actions, viz-a-viz media reports and satellite imagery emerged in the public domain which indicates a high degree of Chinese military buildup at the Doklam plateau, just a few meters away from the Indian Army post.
The BJP is so consumed in headlines management, false bravado, self-promotion that it has conveniently forgotten that Serious Issues of National Security, Exist.”
Posing several questions to the Modi Government on the Chinese build up in the Doklam plateau, Mr Surjewala asked whether the Government was aware of the Chinese incursions and as to what steps had been taken by it to prevent them.
”Media reports and latest Satellite Imagery suggest that the Chinese Army has not only built Full-Fledged Chinese Military Complex In Doklam; but also has already occupied the entire Doklam plateau right upto 10m from Indian Army post.
The new images show concrete posts, seven helipads, new trenches and several dozen armoured vehicles close to the point where the Indian Army and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops were locked in a 72-day confrontation last year.
“There is at least one complete mechanised regiment and a strong possibility of another mechanized regiment under camouflage nets. Two major parking areas have been observed for tank transporters of smaller sizes.
There is also a very tall observation tower, at least two storeys high, constructed with cement concrete less than 10 metres from the most forward trench occupied by the Indian Army.
Is the Modi Government, especially the Defence Ministry, aware of this presence?” he asked.
He also questioned the Government whether the latest build up in Doklam was an implementation of the statement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that the it would continue to patrol the Doklam area through its Armed Forces.
”On August 28, 2017, the Ministry of External Affairs in a statement said that both India and China have agreed on “expeditious disengagement of border personnel at the face-off site at Doklam” and it “is on-going”.
The Congress party had then questioned the Government asking them about the details of the Agreement arrived at between India-China-Bhutan under which de-escalation is taking place?
But Mrs Sushma Swaraj in Parliament had only said that the Doklam issue would be resolved by talks and refused to divulge the exact contours of the ‘Dis-engagement Agreement’.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry statement had then said “it shall continue to patrol the Doklam area through its Armed Forces”. Does it mean exclusive rights for Chinese Army or India and Bhutan would have similar rights?
Is this new buildup of Doklam 2.0 by the Chinese an implementation of its stand?” Mr Surjewala said.
Charging Mr Modi with indulging in rhetoric at the time of elections but having failed to secure the borders of the country.
”In the run up to the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections, Narendra Modi had made several insinuations on the Congress party and spoken about showing “Laal Aankh” to China! Now the number of face-offs with the Chinese on the LAC has shot up by 48 per cent last year.
“There were 415 transgressions by Chinese soldiers into the Indian side of the LAC in 2017 as against 271 transgressions in 2016. What does it say about Mr Modi’s empty rhetoric in election rallies?
What steps has the Modi Government taken to prevent these intrusions? Albeit the Modi Government has failed to provide answers to these numerous important questions, But the Congress party would always press for a disengagement of conflict at Doklam between India-China-Bhutan through diplomatic means in a manner that protects India’s strategic interests in toto and avoid unwarranted provocation of conflict.
All such issues need to be resolved with the gravitas and maturity they deserve,” Mr Surjewala said. (AGENCIES)
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