Cong slams govt as CDS and MEA differ on China's 'illegal occupation'

The Congress on Friday denounced the Centre's stand on reports of China building villages in Arunachal Pradesh as the party alleged that the MEA and CDS have different views on it.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Friday, "Our national security is unpardonably compromised because GOI has no strategy and Mr 56 is scared. My thoughts are with the soldiers risking their lives to guard our borders while GOI churns out lies."

A statement of former Home Minister P Chidambaram said, "MEA said that China is in "illegal occupation" of Indian territory and India will not accept "unjustified Chinese claims."

"Within hours, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) said that the Chinese 'have not transgressed anywhere on our perception of the LAC' and they are 'well within their side of the LAC'. The Chinese are laughing all the way from their Plenum to the 20th Congress of the Communist party," he added.


It is time for the Defence Minister to draw a LAC in the Defence Ministry and ask the CDS to remain well within his side of the LAC, Chidambaram said.

On Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said that India has taken note of the US Department of Defense report to the US Congress, which inter-alia, makes a reference to the construction activities carried out by the Chinese side along the India-China borders, particularly in the eastern sector.

"India has neither accepted such illegal occupation of our territory nor has it accepted the unjustified Chinese claims," the spokesperson said.


Bagchi also stressed on the fact that the government has always conveyed its strong protest to such activities through diplomatic channels and will continue to do so in the future.

"Further, as conveyed earlier, the government has also stepped up border infrastructure, including the construction of roads, bridges etc., which has provided much-needed connectivity to the local population along the borders," he said.

The government remains committed to the objective of creating infrastructure along the border areas for the improvement of livelihood of its citizens, including in Arunachal Pradesh, Bagchi said.-IANS