Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claim that not an inch of land in Ladakh has been taken over by China.
Gandhi, who is on a tour of Ladakh, said that the people of the region are concerned about their grazing land, which they say has been taken over by the Chinese Army.
“All the people (in Ladakh) say the Chinese Army has intruded and taken over our grazing land and they (people) cannot go there now,” Gandhi told reporters.
He said that he had planned 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,” he said.
Gandhi said that the people of Ladakh are also concerned about the lack of cellular connectivity in the region.
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 said that he will continue to raise the issue of the border situation with China with the government.
“I will keep raising this issue with the government and I will keep asking them what they are doing to protect our borders,” he said.
Gandhi reached Leh on Thursday and is scheduled to visit Kargil either on Monday or Tuesday, depending on his engagements in Leh district.
