Cong asks BJP not to compromise national security, country's territorial integrity

Surjewala's comments came after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief JP Nadda hit out at Singh, accusing him of "abjectly surrendering" hundreds of square kilometres of India's land to China and "presiding over" 600 incursions made by the neighbouring country between 2010 and 2013 during his prime ministership. Nadda also asked the former prime minister to stop "insulting" the armed forces repeatedly and questioning their valour, alleging that Congress leaders did so post the surgical strikes.

The Congress hit back at the BJP on Monday for its attack on former prime minister Manmohan Singh and asked the saffron party not to compromise national security and the country's territorial integrity, saying it would be the "biggest disservice" to the armed forces. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi wondered why was China praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi when the neighbouring country had killed Indian soldiers and taken away our land.

"China killed our soldiers. China took our land. Then, why is China praising Mr Modi during this conflict," he wrote on Twitter and tagged a news article titled "Chinese media lauds Modi's speech". The former Congress chief said Singh has given an important advice and hoped that Modi would adhere to it politely as it was given in the country's interest.

Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala asked the BJP not to buckle down and to rise to the occasion. He also asked the saffron party to show the courage to ask the Modi government about the rising Chinese incursions and Pakistan's ceasefire violations.

"Dear Sh Nadda and the BJP, Stop compromising on 'national security' and India's 'territorial integrity'. "This would be the biggest disservice to our Armed Forces and our 20 martyrs. Don't buckle down, have the strength to 'rise to the occasion'. We'll give the government every support," Surjewala wrote on Twitter.

"Dear Sh. Nadda, Please show the courage to ask Modi Government about -: 2,264 Chinese transgressions since 2015. Martyrdom of 471 jawans and 253 civilians in J&K alone, highest in 30 years. 3,289 ceasefire violations by Pakistan in 2019 alone, highest in 16 years, up from 583 in 2014," he said in another tweet. Surjewala's comments came after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief JP Nadda hit out at Singh, accusing him of "abjectly surrendering" hundreds of square kilometres of India's land to China and "presiding over" 600 incursions made by the neighbouring country between 2010 and 2013 during his prime ministership.

Nadda also asked the former prime minister to stop "insulting" the armed forces repeatedly and questioning their valour, alleging that Congress leaders did so post the surgical strikes. "Dr Manmohan Singh belongs to the same party which: Helplessly surrendered over 43,000 KM of Indian territory to the Chinese! During the UPA years saw abject strategic and territorial surrender without a fight. Time and again belittles our forces.

"One only wishes that Dr. Singh was as worried about Chinese designs when, as PM, he abjectly surrendered hundreds of square kilometres of India's land to China. He presided over 600 incursions made by China between 2010 to 2013!" he said in tweets. In his first remarks on the Ladakh face-off, Singh said Modi must be mindful of the implications of his words and cannot allow China to use those as a vindication of its position.

Noting that disinformation is no substitute for diplomacy or decisive leadership, Singh called upon the prime minister to ensure justice for the soldiers who died defending India's territorial integrity..