PM’s claim of China not taking one inch of our land not true”: Rahul Gandhi

In Ladakh to pay tribute to his father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s 79th birth anniversary, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday hit out at the Centre, saying that its claim that not an inch of Indian land was taken by China’s People Liberation Army (PLA) troops “is not true”. The Congress MP claimed the locals, too, contend that Indian territory was intruded upon and taken by the Chinese troops, adding that it was a matter of concern. Speaking to reporters after laying floral tributes to a framed photograph of the former PM by a gleaming Pangong Tso lake on an overcast Sunday morning, the Congress leader said, “The locals here are concerned about China taking our land. They have said that the Chinese troops took away their grazing land. However, the PM says not an inch of land was taken away. This is not true, you can ask anyone here,” said Rahul. Gandhi also raised questions over the Union territory status given to Ladakh after the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories following the abrogation of Article 370. “There were so many complaints from the people of Ladakh, They are not happy with the status that has been given to them, they want more representation and unemployment is also a concern. People are saying that the state should not be run by bureaucracy but by representatives of the people, the Congress MP added.