Opposition parties decides to raise border issue with China in Parliament

New Delhi [India], December 22 (ANI): The like-minded Opposition parties’ floor leaders unanimously decided to raise the border issue with China in the Parliament.
These floor leaders met at the chamber of the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge to discuss their strategy on Thursday.

Notably, the sources have informed that the Winter Session of Parliament is likely to conclude tomorrow (December 23), a week ahead of the initially scheduled conclusion. The Winter Session of the Parliament began on December and was slated to have 17 working days till December 29.

On Wednesday, Congress MP Sonia Gandhi and other Opposition leaders protested in front of the Gandhi statue inside the Parliament premises, demanding a discussion on the recent India-China clash at Tawang.

Congress MPs Manickam Tagore and Manish Tewari, yesterday, gave Adjournment Motion notice in Lok Sabha to discuss the border situation with China.

Meanwhile, former Congress President Sonia Gandhi also expressed concerns over Chinese transgression at the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) meeting which was held on December 21 at Parliament’s Central Hall.

Sonia Gandhi who is the chairperson of the CPP said, “The continuing incursions by China on our border is a matter of serious concern. The whole nation stands with our vigilant soldiers who repelled these attacks under difficult conditions.

The Government, however, stubbornly refuses to allow a discussion on the issue in Parliament. As a result, Parliament, political parties and the people remain ignorant of the true situation on the ground.”

The Congress MP said that the Government has been stubbornly refusing a discussion on LAC discussion in Parliament and emphasized that a debate strengthens the national response.

She said that when facing “a significant national challenge,” it has been the tradition to bring Parliament into confidence.

“A debate can shed light on several critical questions. Why is China emboldened to continually attack us? What preparations have been made to repel these attacks, and what more needs to be done? What is the Government’s policy to deter China from future incursions?

Given that we continue to have a severe trade deficit with China, importing far more than we export, why is there no economic response to China’s military hostility? What is the government’s diplomatic outreach to the global community? A frank discussion strengthens the nation’s response. It is the duty of the government of the day to inform the public and explain its policies and actions.” she said.

Earlier on Monday, the opposition sought to raise the issue with Leader of Opposition (LoP) Mallikarjun Kharge saying nothing is bigger than the nation and sought a detailed debate on clashes along the LAC between the Indian and Chinese forces at the Tawang sector on December 9.

Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, however, had asked the opposition MPs to not convert it into a classroom and rejected the demand of the Opposition.
Dhankhar had said he can’t give attention to notices that fail to follow rules and reprimanded MPs for “more than 100 minutes of disruptions” of proceedings in the House.

Amid the din, the Chairman had continued the Zero Hour following the Opposition staging walkout from the House.