PM Modi should tell nation 'how Chinese occupied Indian territory': Sonia Gandhi

New Delhi [India], June 17 (ANI): Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday paid tribute to the 20 military personnel, including an officer, who laid out their lives in the violent face-off with China in Galwan Valley, Ladakh and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to tell the nation 'how Chinese occupied Indian territory'.
"The sacrifice of our 20 jawans has shaken the conscience of the nation. I pay my tribute to all those brave soldiers from the core of my heart and pray to the Almighty to give their families the strength to face this pain," she said.
"Today when there is anger in the country regarding this incident then Prime Minister should come forward and tell the truth to the country that how did China occupy our land and why did our 20 soldiers lose their lives? What is the situation there today?" she added.
She further questioned the government to tell the nation "how many of our soldiers, officers are critically injured?".
"Are our soldiers/officers still missing? How many of our soldiers/officers are critically injured? What areas have been occupied by China? What is the policy of govt to deal with this?" she asked.
Gandhi said that Congress party stands with our Army, soldiers, their families and government in this crisis.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday paid tributes to these soldiers and asserted that their "sacrifice will not go in vain".
The Prime Minister, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Ministers of 15 States and Union Territories, who were present in the meeting via video-conference today, observed a two-minute silence as a tribute to the soldiers.
The violent face-off happened on late evening and night of June 15 in Ladakh's Galwan valley as a result of an attempt by the Chinese troops to "unilaterally change" the status quo during de-escalation in Eastern Ladakh and the situation could have been avoided if the agreement at the higher level been scrupulously followed by the Chinese side, India said on Tuesday.
The Army confirmed that 20 personnel, including a Colonel rank officer, laid out their lives in the face-off. This figure includes 17 who were critically injured at the stand-off location and were exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the high altitude terrain.
Indian intercepts revealed that the Chinese side suffered 43 casualties, including dead and seriously injured, in the violent face-off. The commanding officer of the Chinese Unit is among those killed, sources confirmed to ANI.
Indian and Chinese troops have disengaged at the Galwan area in Ladakh where they had earlier clashed on the night of June 15 and 16, Indian Army said. (ANI)