New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday claimed that China is building an important bridge over the Pangong Tso lake in Ladakh, and took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he “may even go to inaugurate this bridge”.
Rahul Gandhi also questioned PM Modi’s “silence” on the issue and said it was raising the spirits of the Chinese army.
The Congress leader said on Twitter, “China is building a strategic bridge in our country. PLA is being encouraged due to the silence of the PM. Now there is a fear that the PM may also go to inaugurate this bridge.”
China is building a diplomatic bridge in our country.
The PLA’s spirits are increasing due to the silence of the PM.Now it is a fear that PM may not reach to inaugurate this bridge too. pic.twitter.com/OMCCC3wxXD
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 19, 2022
Rahul Gandhi also shared purported satellite images of the bridge, which connects the northern and southern banks of the Pangong Tso lake in eastern Ladakh.
Gandhi has been attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the government over the handling of the border dispute with China in eastern Ladakh.
India ‘close’ monitoring report of China construction bridge over Pangong Lake: MEA
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MEA) said that the bridge was being constructed in areas that have been under illegal occupation of Beijing for nearly 60 years. The MEA said it was closely monitoring reports of China building a bridge over Pangong Lake.
The official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said that the Indian government is taking all necessary steps to ensure that “our security interests” are fully protected.
People familiar with the development said the satellite imagery is of an area on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) near the Galwan Valley region, PTI reported.
The news agency quoted sources as saying that the bridge was at a distance of about 40 km from the alignment of the LAC in the area.
China has been focusing on strengthening its military infrastructure since Indian troops took control of several strategic peaks on the southern bank of Pangong Lake in August 2020.
The eastern Ladakh border standoff between the armies of India and China began on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong Lake area.
Both sides gradually increased their deployment by rushing in thousands of soldiers with heavy weapons.
Last year, the two sides completed the demilitarization process in the northern and southern shores of Pangong Lake and the Gogra region as a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks.
,