National security non-negotiable, says Congress leader Rahul Gandhi; asks PM to "defend the nation"

Vibha Sharma

New Delhi, May 20

Asserting that national security and national integrity of the country is “non-negotiable”, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today called the Narendra Modi government’s response to reports that China was building a second bridge across Pangong Tso in eastern Ladakh as “timid and docile”. 

China is building second bridge at Pangong and the government says it is monitoring the situation, he said, asking the Prime Minister to “defend the nation”.

China builds 1st bridge on Pangong
GOI: We are monitoring the situation.

China builds 2nd bridge on Pangong
GOI: We are monitoring the situation.

India’s National security & territorial integrity is non-negotiable. A timid & docile response won’t do. PM must defend the Nation.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 20, 2022

Taking up the issue on Twitter, the Conngress leader wrote:

“China builds 1st bridge on Pangong

GOI: We are monitoring the situation.

China builds 2nd bridge on Pangong

GOI: We are monitoring the situation.

India’s National security & territorial integrity is non-negotiable. A timid & docile response won’t do. PM must defend the Nation”.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said instead of trying to build the image of the Prime Minister, the government should be concerned about the image of the country.  

The BJP-led government is “compromising India’s national security, Khera alleged, continuing the Congress onslaught over the issue. 

The Ministry of External Affairs, however, said the area where the reported construction is being undertaken is under the occupation of China for decades, with spokesperson Arindam Bagchi asserting that India monitors such developments.

“We have seen media reports and other reports on the so-called bridge… somebody said second bridge or if it is an expansion of the current bridge,” Bagchi said. 

India believes that the area that is referred to in the reports is under the occupation of the Chinese side for decades, he added.