UP CM slams Rahul Gandhi over China remark, calls it condemnable

A day after Rahul Gandhi said that Chinese soldiers are "beating up jawans in Arunachal Pradesh", Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday condemned his statement, terming it "shameful".

"The statement of former Congress President Rahul Gandhi on soldiers is condemnable and shameful," the UP CM said asking Rahul to apologise to the soldiers and to the country.

The CM said that the statement of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is indecent, and childish and is going to inspire anti-national elements.

"It amounts to humiliating India and India's brave army internationally. We condemn his statement. When the whole country and the world are saying that the brave soldiers of India have foiled the acts of the infiltrators, to talk disrespectfully of them is something no Indian will accept," CM Yogi remarked.

CM Yogi also said that it was not the first time that Rahul Gandhi has made a derogatory remark about the soldiers.

"Even in Doklam, when there was a tussle between the armies of both countries, Rahul Gandhi and the Congress were exposed. Instead of respecting the valour of the armed forces, they were patronising anti-India acts by meeting the Chinese ambassador," he added.

Flagging a "clear threat from China" amid the ongoing border row, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday claimed that the neighbouring country is "preparing for war" and alleged that the Centre is "hiding and not accepting it".

"The ones who captured 2,000 sq km of India and killed 20 Indian soldiers, and are thrashing our soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh. I said to my friend that the Indian media would not ask me questions about it," the former Congress President said.

The UP CM further attacked the Wayanad MP and said, "Whenever there is a crisis, or a challenge, in front of the country, he exposes himself by putting India in the dock.

"They point fingers at our brave soldiers. We condemn this thinking of Congress and Rahul Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi must apologise to the people of the country and the brave soldiers and also refrain from doing such things in future", he added.

Earlier on Tuesday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told Parliament that Chinese troops had attempted to transgress the LAC at Yangtse in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh in a bid to "unilaterally change the status quo", but were given a firm and resolute response forcing the Chinese side to retreat.

In his statement in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Singh said the face-off led to a physical scuffle causing injuries to a few personnel on both sides but "there were no fatalities or serious casualties" to Indian soldiers.

Giving statements in both House, the Defence Minister also assured that "our forces are committed to protecting our territorial integrity and will continue to thwart any attempt made on it".