PM's remarks in 2020 'weakened us immeasurably': Congress after India, China pact on patrolling

New Delhi: With India announcing an agreement with China on patrolling along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, the Congress on Monday said Parliament was not allowed an opportunity to discuss the border situation even once and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks in 2020 "weakened us immeasurably".

India has announced it has arrived at an agreement with China on patrolling in remaining friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, in a major breakthrough in the festering row that came following a series of negotiations between the two sides over the last few weeks.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri indicated that the agreement will lead to disengagement and a resolution of the issues that had arisen in 2020. It is understood that the agreement pertains to patrolling in Depsang and Demchok areas.

Congress General Secretary (In-charge, Communications) Jairam Ramesh said, "While we await fuller details of the agreement reached between India and China, it is pertinent to recall that Parliament was not allowed an opportunity for a discussion on the border situation even once these past four and a half years.

"And can the nation ever forget these remarks made by the non-biological PM on June 19, 2020, which weakened us immeasurably?" the Congress general secretary said and shared the video of the 2020 remarks.

The Congress has alleged that Prime Minister Modi in his remarks on June 19, 2020, gave a "clean chit" to China on the border transgressions.

At a media briefing, the foreign secretary said, "Over the last several weeks, Indian and Chinese diplomatic and military negotiators have been in close contact with each other in a variety of forums."

"As a result of these discussions, agreement has been arrived at patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control in the India-China border areas, leading to disengagement and a resolution of the issues that had arisen in these areas in 2020," he said.

"We will be taking the next steps on this," Misri added.

It is not immediately clear whether the agreement facilitates the restoration of patrolling rights that were in place prior to the standoff.

The Indian and Chinese militaries have been locked in the standoff since May 2020 and a full resolution of the border row has not yet been achieved though the two sides have disengaged from a number of friction points.

The ties between the two countries nosedived significantly following the fierce clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades.