Amid counter allegations between Congress and BJP over tussle with China, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said on Saturday that matters related to national security should not be politicized. He also said that no one can forget that China occupied 45,000 square kilometers of land after the 1962 war.
Pawar's comment was on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's allegation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi handed over Indian territory due to China's aggression. He also said that the defense of Galvan Valley in Ladakh cannot be hastened to describe the failure of the Defense Minister as Indian soldiers were alert during patrolling.
Talking to reporters, the former Union Minister said that this whole episode is of sensitive nature. China took a provocative stand in the Galvan Valley. Significantly, 20 military personnel of India were killed in a violent clash with China in eastern Ladakh on 15 June.
The former Defense Minister said that India was building a road in the Galvan Valley within its territory for communication purposes. Pawar said, "They (Chinese soldiers) tried to encroach on our road and shuddered." This is nobody's failure. If someone comes (in your area) while patrolling, they can come at any time. We cannot say that this is the failure of the Defense Minister sitting in Delhi. "
With this, he said, "There was patrolling going on." There was a clash that means you were alert. If you are not there, you do not even know when they (Chinese soldiers) came and went. So I do not think it is right to make such allegations at this time. "
Responding to an allegation made by Rahul Gandhi, Pawar said that no one can forget that after the 1962 war between the two countries, China occupied about 45,000 square kilometers of India's land. He said, "This land is still with China. I do not know if China has again encroached on some area. But when I make allegations, I should also see what happened when I was in power. If such a large land is acquired then it cannot be ignored. It is a matter of national security and I think it should not be politicized. "
When asked about BJP councilor Gopichand Padalkar's recent remarks against him, the NCP chief said that voters had rejected him in the last elections and there was no need to react to his remarks. Padalkar had said that "Pawar is the corona that has infected Maharashtra".
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