New Delhi: The Congress on Friday criticised the Narendra Modi government over reports of fresh face-offs between Indian and Chinese troops in Arunachal Pradesh. The party accused the government of staying silent on the border situation and demanded answers on India’s security and ties with China.
The attack followed comments attributed to ITBP Director General Shatrujeet Kapoor indicating that confrontations with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) had taken place recently and were still continuing. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), while declining to share operational specifics, acknowledged periodic friction along the frontier.
“Insofar as the specifics are concerned, I would refer you to the Ministry of Defence. As we have noted in the past, the situation in the India-China border areas gets disturbed from time to time when Chinese forces diverge from established patrolling patterns,” the MEA spokesperson said.
The ministry added that both governments were relying on established channels to manage differences.
“Both sides continue to use existing diplomatic and military mechanisms to resolve outstanding issues and avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The two sides have also agreed to discuss ways to improve understanding of the LAC in appropriate areas for better border management. I would also like to emphasise that the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas is essential for the overall development of bilateral relations,” the spokesperson said.
Kharge Seeks Accountability
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the ITBP chief’s remarks pointed to a worrying security situation. In a post on X, he asked whether the country was heading towards another major confrontation after Doklam and Galwan.
“The ITBP DG’s confirmation of continuing PLA face-offs in Arunachal Pradesh is deeply alarming. After Doklam and Galwan, is another serious confrontation unfolding? Reports of Chinese incursions near Taksing emerged in August. Yet, even 47 days after Corps Commander-level talks at Wacha–Damai, reportedly just 180 km away, confrontations continue. Has India’s patrolling access been compromised?” Kharge asked.
He said national security demanded answers, not “diplomatic photo opportunities and Hugplomacy”. Kharge also attacked the government over trade with China.
“Since the Galwan sacrifice of 20 Indian Army bravehearts (FY2020–21), Chinese imports have surged 102%, while India’s trade deficit with China has ballooned 155% to $112.16 billion… Has Make in India become Import from China?” he said.
‘Deafening Silence’
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged that the Centre was accommodating Beijing while withholding information from the public, as reported by The New Indian Express.
“While the self-styled Vishwaguru’s calibrated concessions to China continue, the DG, ITBP, has lauded—and rightly so—its performance in recent face-offs with the PLA in Arunachal Pradesh, on which there has been a deafening silence from the PM and his establishment,” Ramesh posted on X.
He further referred to China’s renaming of locations in Arunachal Pradesh and its proposed 60,000-MW Brahmaputra dam, cautioning that both could affect India’s ecology and water security.
At an AICC press conference, Congress leader Pawan Khera accused the government of yielding to China. He questioned whether Indian troops could still access earlier patrolling points and objected to easier visas and relaxed investment rules for Chinese entities.
“What did we get? Can we patrol the points today where we used to patrol before April 2020, or not? In exchange for all this, shouldn’t you have taken something? Or did you just accept that you will do whatever China wants because you are afraid?” Khera asked.
Citing videos from border villages, he added: “Every day you hear that China has entered Arunachal; local rural people are making emotional appeals on social media… Tell the DG of ITBP that everything is normal. Tell those 20 families whose people were martyred that everything is normal.”
Congress MP Jebi Mather asked why the alleged incidents had remained undisclosed for months.
“The ITBP Director General has made a very strong revelation… but the fact is he is saying this has been happening since July, which means we are in October and now it took for the nation to know about this when an ITBP Director General revealed it. We have not heard anything about this from our Prime Minister. We have not heard anything about this from our Home Minister,” Mather said.
Opposition Demands Answers
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi said senior ministers owed the country an explanation.
“It is the responsibility of the country’s Home Minister, Defence Minister, and Minister of External Affairs to provide an answer. On one hand, we keep talking about trying to normalize relations with China—implying that all is well—yet, on the other hand, there is a persistent pattern of such statements being made, time and again. Given that this concerns the nation’s security, its sensitive interests, and the national interest, those responsible must be held accountable,” she told ANI.
CPI general secretary D Raja urged the Prime Minister to address substantive national concerns rather than attack the opposition.
“Prime Minister Modi should realise he is the Prime Minister of India. Instead of resorting to cheap rhetoric against opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi, he must speak on the real issues facing the country today,” Raja said.
He expressed confidence that India and China could manage their disputes through discussion.
“Both are neighbouring countries with cooperation in multiple fields. Whatever the disputes which appear, both countries have that maturity, have their experience to sort out, resolve through dialogue,” he added.
Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janata Party, also criticised the government’s security priorities.
“Yeah, because forces that should be protecting our borders are being deployed to stop citizens from protesting. Modi is putting national security at risk by using security forces against his own countrymen. The priority should be securing our borders, not deploying forces to turn Delhi into a fortress to suppress peaceful citizen protests,” Dipke posted on X.