Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, on his maiden visit to Ladakh post revocation of Article 370, on Sunday said that China has taken away India’s land and people are not allowed to graze their cattle there.

Responding to media queries at Pangong Lake in eastern Ladakh, where he paid tributes to his late father and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi on his birth anniversary, the Wayanad MP said, “For some logistical reasons I couldn’t come here during Bharat Jodo Yatra and I thought that let me come here and have a detailed tour. I came to Pangonge Lake, will go to Nubra and to Kargil and had been to Leh to listen to the people and their concerns. Over here, the concern is, of course, the land that has been taken away by China. People here have been affected in a big way because their grazing lands have been taken away,” he said.

To a query of Centre’s claims of no Chinese incursions and no land taken away by them, Gandni said, “Here the people say that Chinese forces entered and their grazing land has been taken away, and (now) they can’t go there. People are clearly telling here. Prime Minister says that not an inch of land taken away, which is not correct…. ask anyone here and they will tell you”.

However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lashed out at Gandhi for his claims. “Whatever you have said about Ladakh is absolutely wrong… I condemn your entire statement on behalf of the party,” senior BJP leader and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

“Rahul Gandhi ji, you are raising questions over our soldiers’ bravery and sacrifice in Galwan… Why do you defame India visiting there? Why do you become China’s propaganda machinery?” he said.

“Rahul Gandhi, whenever you visit border area you say something and you offer propaganda to China against India. China had to withdraw in Galwan due to the bravery and sacrifice of Indian soldiers. We will debate with you on how much you understand the needs of India’s security… But please in matters of security, do not weaken the morale of India,” he added.

India and China are locked in a protracted border standoff in eastern Ladakh for the past three years.

Ties between the two neighbours nosedived following a deadly clash in Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh in June 2020 when 20 Indian soldiers died in hand-to-hand combat with the Chinese troops.

On August 13 and 14, both the countries held the 19th round of Corps Commander level meeting at the Chushul-Moldo border.

The Congress leader also said that people in Ladakh have several complaints.

“They are not happy with status, which has been given to them. They want representation. Unemployment and inflation here are rising. People here want that they be represented through elected government and the state should not be run via bureaucracy,” he added.

It may be stated here that the people of Ladakh have been demanding statehood, protection under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution and one Lok Sabha seat each for Leh and Kargil districts, respectively.

In June this year, innovator, environmentalist and education reformist Sonam Wangchuk had observed a seven-day-long ‘climate fast’ at Leh’s NDS Ground in a bid to seek the Sixth Schedule of the Indian constitution and statehood to the eco-fragile region of Ladakh. The Sixth Schedule facilitates the establishment of autonomous district councils.

Wangchuk had observed a five-day-long hunger protest for the cause in January this year, too.

On Saturday, Rahul Gandhi rode a bike for over 100 kms to reach Pangong Lake from Shey village.

Congress spokesperson for Leh district and leader of the Opposition in LAHDC-Leh, Tsering Namgyal said, “After Pangong Lake, Rahul Gandhi has reached Nubra and after an overnight stay, he will return to Leh on Monday”.

He informed that before returning to Srinagar, probably on August 24, Gandhi will to visit Kargil, probably on August 22 or 23, to meet the party leaders, workers and the people from a cross section of society.

He will meet party workers and leaders ahead of the elections to the 30-member Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC)-Kargil.

The Congress and the National Conference (NC) have forged a pre-poll alliance against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the Kargil hill council polls, scheduled to be held on September 10.

(With PTI inputs)