BJP leader B C Khanduri today criticised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for downplaying the issue of Chinese incursion into Indian territory and warned that any flippancy in this regard may lead to a 1962 like situation along the country's borders.
"Chinese troops have moved 19 km into Indian territory and the Prime Minister says it is a localised problem and not that of incursion. This approach does not augur well for the country," Khanduri, a retired Major General himself, said.
Recalling how the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru overlooked Chinese infrastructure and military build-up in Tibet close to India's borders prior to 1962 Sino-India war, the former chief minister said making light of incursion by Chinese troops into such a large chunk of Indian territory this time might lead to a similar situation again and prove costly for the nation.
"China had begun constructing airstrips, helipads and roads in Tibet close to the Indian borders much before the 1962 war broke out but the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru ignored all that.
"We were finally attacked by China and defeated and the country had to face international embarrassment," the former Union minister said and asked the Prime Minister to handle the latest incursion by Chinese troops with all the seriousness it deserves.
He said any flippancy on part of the government in this regard will dent the morale of the Indian forces and aggravate the situation along the borders.
