New Delhi, Aug 4 (PTI) Hitting out at Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on China, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday said he hoped that the Congress leader would mend his ways after being “rebuked” by the Supreme Court for making “unsubstantiated claims”.
Rijiju’s remarks came hours after the Supreme Court made oral observations censuring Gandhi for claiming that China had occupied 2,000 sq km of Indian territory.
“These kinds of statements from the Leader of the Opposition are extremely harmful for the nation, and they demoralise our forces,” the minister said.
He said several leaders had appealed to Gandhi not to make unsubstantiated statements, but he was unwilling to take any counsel.
“I am happy that the Supreme Court has given him a warning. It is a strong rebuke for making unsubstantiated claims. I hope he and the Congress mend their ways after the rebuke from the Supreme Court,” Rijiju said.
The minister asserted that India’s territory was completely secure.
Rijiju said the armed forces and the government have consistently stated that while there is a longstanding border dispute, no land has been seized by China.
“Maybe, Rahul Gandhi may have got his information from the Chinese,” the minister said.
Rijiju said this dispute dated back to before 1962, and there have been occasional confrontations during patrolling, something clearly visible in several videos showing face-offs between the Indian and Chinese armies, largely because the boundary is not demarcated.
The minister said Gandhi is a responsible citizen and should refrain from making unsubstantiated claims.
“In my state, in my village, I know how assiduously our armed forces protect our land. How can he make such claims, sitting in Delhi, that our land has been grabbed in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh,” said Rijiju, who represents the Arunachal West parliamentary seat in the Lok Sabha. PTI SKU RHL
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