Why is PM Narendra Modi silent on clashes at Galwan Valley, asks Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday (June 17) attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over clashes between Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan Valley, saying that "enough is enough" and the country needs to know what has at the Line of Actual Control.

The Congress leader also raised question over PM Modi's silence over the incident which led to the martyrdom of 20 Indian soldiers on Monday (June 15) night. 

"Why is the PM silent? Why is he hiding? Enough is enough. We need to know what has happened. How dare China kill our soldiers? How dare they take our land?" tweeted Rahul Gandhi.

Why is the PM silent?
Why is he hiding?

Enough is enough. We need to know what has happened.

How dare China kill our soldiers?
How dare they take our land?

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 17, 2020

It is to be noted that PM Modi held meetings with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and other senior officials on Tuesday but he is yet to issue a statement on the Ladakh clash.

The Indian Army said on Tuesday that 20 of its soldiers were killed in violent clashes with Chinese troops during a face-off in the Galwan Valley. In a statement, the army said that almost the same number of Chinese troops have been killed during the clashes in the Galwan Valley.

The statement said, "Indian and Chinese troops have disengaged at the Galwan area where they had earlier clashed on the night of 15/16 June 2020. 17 Indian troops who were critically injured in the line of duty at the stand-off location and exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the high altitude terrain have succumbed to their injuries, taking the total that were killed in action to 20."

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), however, blamed China for the incident and alleged that it tried to unilaterally change the status and "departed from the consensus to respect the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Galwan Valley".

Meanwhile, a US State Department spokesperson said on Tuesday night that Washington was closely mointoring the situation between Indian and Chinese forces along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

“We are closely monitoring the situation between Indian and Chinese forces along the Line of Actual Control.  We note the Indian military has announced that 20 soldiers have died, and we offer our condolences to their families. Both India and China have expressed a desire to de-escalate, and we support a peaceful resolution of the current situation. During their phone call on June 2, 2020, President Trump and Prime Minister Modi discussed the situation on the India-China border," said the spokesperson.