Congress blasts Modi government over reported Arunachal border skirmishes

Itanagar: Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 23. He demanded transparency regarding reported face-offs between Indian and Chinese soldiers at several spots in Arunachal Pradesh. Ramesh cited recent comments from Indo-Tibetan Border Police Director General Shatrujeet Kapur, who confirmed the ongoing confrontations. The administration remains quiet. Ramesh slammed the government for what he called a "deafening silence" on the matter.

Reports suggest skirmishes occurred recently at Taksing, leading to corps commander talks last month at Wacha and Damai. Locals claim India has lost access to key patrolling points, a trend they fear mimics events in Ladakh. Ramesh also attacked the government for its stance on Chinese infrastructure projects, the renaming of regional landmarks, and issues with border patrolling.

Economic tensions loom large as well. The Congress leader pointed to a record trade deficit with China of USD 112 billion for 2025-26, up from USD 99 billion the previous year. He argued this gap hurts small businesses and national security. Beyond the border, Ramesh brought up past controversies including General M. M. Naravane’s comments on the Ladakh crisis and conflicting statements from Lieutenant General Rahul Singh and former Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan regarding Operation Sindoor.

The government and the BJP have stayed silent so far. Officials have previously denied claims of Chinese incursions, while the BJP regularly accuses the Congress of undermining military morale. These reports regarding the border situation remain unverified.