New Delhi, June 22: Amid a row over the statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an all-party meeting on the India China border standoff, senior Congress leader and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday said that the PM should be mindful of the implications of his words and declarations on our Nation’s security as also strategic and territorial interests.
In a statement issued here, Dr Manmohan Singh, noting that China is brazenly and illegally seeking to claim parts of Indian territory such as the Galwan Valley and the Pangong Tso Lake by committing multiple incursions between April 2020 till date, said the Prime Minister cannot allow China to use his words as a vindication of their position.
‘At this moment, we stand at historic crossroads. Our Government’s decisions and actions will have serious bearings on how the future generations perceive us. Those who lead us bear the weight of a solemn duty. And in our democracy that responsibility rests with the office of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister must always be mindful of the implications of his words and declarations on our Nation’s security as also strategic and territorial interests,’ Dr Singh said.
Noting that China is brazenly and illegally seeking to claim parts of Indian territory such as the Galwan Valley and the Pangong Tso Lake by committing multiple incursions between April 2020 till date, Dr Singh said the Prime Minister cannot allow China to use his words as a vindication of their position.
‘China is brazenly and illegally seeking to claim parts of Indian territory such as the Galwan Valley and the Pangong Tso Lake by committing multiple incursions between April 2020 till date. We cannot and will not be cowed down by threats and intimidation nor permit a compromise with our territorial integrity. The Prime Minister cannot allow them to use his words as a vindication of their position and must ensure that all organs of the Government work together to tackle this crisis and prevent it from escalating further,’ Dr Singh said.
Stressing the need for unity as a nation Singh said, “We remind the Government that disinformation is no substitute for diplomacy or decisive leadership. The truth cannot be suppressed by having pliant allies spout comforting but false statements.
‘This is a moment where we must stand together as a nation and be united in our response to this brazen threat.’
Dr Singh said that the PM should ensure justice for soldiers who died in Ladakh.
‘We call upon the Prime Minister and the Government to rise to the occasion, to ensure justice for Col B Santosh Babu and our jawans who have made the ultimate sacrifice and resolutely defended our territorial integrity.
To do any less would be a historic betrayal of the people’s faith,’ he said.
Paying tributes to the 20 Indian soldiers killed in the border clash with China in the Galwan Valley, Dr Manmohan Singh said, ‘We, the Nation, lost twenty brave soldiers in the Galwan Valley, Ladakh on June 15th-16th, 2020. They laid down their lives in the ultimate act of sacrifice, valour and duty to our country. Our brave hearts defended the motherland till their last breath and for that we owe them, and their families, our eternal gratitude. However, their sacrifice cannot be allowed to be in vain.’
The statement by Dr Manmohan Singh comes amid a controversy over the statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an all-party meeting on India China border standoff.
