Congress rakes up old videos of Modi to corner govt on China clash

New Delhi:  After 20 Indian Army soldiers, including an officer, were killed in a violent clash with Chinese PLA troops in Galwan valley in eastern Ladakh on Monday night, the Congress is out to corner Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

The Congress is highlighting old videos and tweets of Modi and Rajnath prior to 2014 when the Congress-led UPA government was in power, and in recent days when BJP leaders were addressing ‘virtual’ political rallies.

One video is of a rally of Modi in which he is seen saying that China has eyes on Indian territory and the weakness is not at the borders or in the army but in Delhi.

Congress spokesman Randeep Surjewala mockingly said “It’s right that the problem is in Delhi and the PM is silent.”

The Congress also pointed to a tweet by then Gujarat Chief Minister Modi, using it to criticise the Prime Minister.

“We wish to ask the Prime Minister, are you not weak? If indeed you are a strong government, the country needs proof of that,” the Congress party tweeted, using the exact same words in a tweet by Modi on May 4, 2009.

Congress has also used old videos of then BJP President and current Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to corner the government over the deaths of Indian soldiers in the clash.

Congress has also lashed out the media for allegedly questioning the capabilities of the Indian Army as Surjewala said, it’s “unacceptable” that the media was trying to implicate the Army rather than the government.

“This is sacrilegious and India won’t accept the insult of our Army,” tweeted Surjewala.

The Prime Minister has called an all-party meeting on June 19 over the India-China border issue following the violent face-off with Chinese troops.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in a tweet on Wednesday said that the meeting will be held at 5 p.m. on June 19 in which issues related to the face-off between Indian troops and Chinese People’s Liberation Army soldiers in eastern Ladakh will be discussed.