‘Ladakh people not happy with UT’
Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, Aug 20: Senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Rahul Gandhi today claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assertion that not an inch of the land in Ladakh has been taken over by China is not true.
The people of Ladakh are concerned about their grazing land “taken over by the Chinese Army,” Gandhi, who is on a tour of Ladakh, said after paying tribute to his father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his birth anniversary at Pangong lake in Leh district in the Union Territory of Ladakh.
Today was fourth day of Rahul’s visit to Ladakh. He is expected to stay in the Union Territory till August 25.
“All the people (in Ladakh) say the Chinese Army has intruded and taken over our grazing land and they (people) cannot go there now. They are clearly saying this even as Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) says that not an inch of land was taken over which is not based on truth,” Gandhi told reporters.
The Congress leader said he was planning to visit Ladakh during his Bharat Jodo Yatra but had to abandon the plan due to some “logistical reasons”.
“So I thought let me come and do a detailed tour of Ladakh. I came to Pangong and am going to visit Nubra and Kargil. The idea is to listen to what the people have to say and what their concerns are. Over here, the concern is of the (grazing) land that has been taken over by China. The people have been affected in a big way because their grazing lands have been taken over. Another concern of the people is the lack of cellular connectivity,” he said.
Gandhi said ask anyone in the region, they will tell you that the grazing land has been “taken over by the Chinese Army”.
The Congress has been questioning the Government over the border situation with China.
Indian and Chinese troops are locked in an over three-year confrontation in certain friction points in Eastern Ladakh even as the two sides completed disengagement from several areas following extensive diplomatic and military talks.
Gandhi also raised questions over the Union Territory status given to Ladakh after the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two UTs following the abrogation of Article 370.
“There were so many complaints from the people of Ladakh. They are not happy with the status that has been given to them, they want more representation and unemployment is also a concern. People are saying that Ladakh should not be run by bureaucracy but by representatives of the people,” the Congress MP said.
Rahul recalled a conversation with his father in which Rajiv Gandhi told him that Pangong Tso is the most beautiful place on earth.
“I remember, when I was child, my father once returned from a visit to Pangong Tso and showed me some pictures of the lake. He told me that this is the most beautiful place on earth,” he said.
Earlier, in a post on the social media platform ‘X’, Rahul Gandhi wrote, “Papa, the dreams you had for India are shown from these priceless memories. Your mark is my way – understanding the struggles and dreams of every Indian, listening to the voice of Mother India.”
Rahul embarked on a bike ride to Pangong Tso in Ladakh on Saturday.
The Congress leader, who drove along with several of his companions from Leh to Pangong on motorcycles, celebrated the birth anniversary of his father on the banks of the lake this morning.
AICC in-charge of J-K and Ladakh Rajni Patil also joined Gandhi in paying tribute to Rajiv Gandhi. Rahul will stay at Nubra valley tonight before returning to Leh.
Gandhi reached Leh on Thursday and is scheduled to visit Kargil either on Monday or Tuesday, depending on his engagements in Leh district.
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