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After the abduction of an Arunachal Pradesh youth by China's People's Liberation Army, the Congress has slammed the Modi government and demanded that an all-party delegation of the MPs should visit the Line of Actual Control under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Congress spokesperson Shaktsinh Gohil suggested Modi lead an all-party parliamentary delegation to the border to ascertain the truth about Chinese "transgressions", alleged occupation of Indian land and building of infrastructure.
Member of Parliament from Arunachal Pradesh Tapir Gao said on Wednesday that a teenager, identified as Miram Taron, was abducted by the People's Liberation Army from Lungta Jor area under Siyungla area on Tuesday.
The youth was abducted from inside Indian territory in the state's Upper Siang district, Gao said.
Taron's friend Johny Yaiying, who managed to escape, informed the authorities about the kidnapping by the PLA, Gao told the media.
Gohil told reporters that the prime minister should at least respond to the requests made by Tapir Gao, who is a Bharatiya Janata Party MP and its Arunachal Pradesh unit chief.
"I congratulate that MP, Tapir Gaoji. I know he must have been under pressure to delete the tweet but he hasn't deleted it. That is why I thank him. We have put his tweet on the screen in front of all of you," said the Congress leader.
"I demand from Modi ji, let us form a team of MPs of all political parties and the PM should lead the delegation to the border areas and ascertain the truth about Chinese transgressions," he said. "Let's not fear. We will also be with you. Show some courage, Modi ji."
He said the Congress party will stand together with the PM when he fights for the interests of the nation, as national security is not a political issue.
He further asked the prime minister to say something on China.
"Modi ji, Gao is a member of the national executive. Will you ignore him now too? If you do this, then what Chanakya ji had said that when despite having a strong army, the ruler of the country who has neither courage nor spirit, that nation comes in trouble, their citizens and their borders. Here our citizens are taken away, a road is built inside our border, they enter and why are you silent on this? Your Twitter speaks like Kapalbhati. If you are not able to gather the crowd, such an atmosphere comes, then every day you keep on giving two-three speeches to the people for hours. Let's say something on China too," said Gohil.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the Prime Minister's "silence" over the abduction of the 17-year-old boy shows "he does not care".
Gandhi said he is with the family of the missing boy Miram Taron.
"A few days before the Republic Day, an Indian has been kidnapped by China. We are with the family of Miram Taron and will not lose hope, will not give up. PM's cowardly silence is his statement - he does not care," he said in a tweet in Hindi.
The Congress also hit out at the BJP government saying, "China's audacity is increasing and so is BJP government's shamelessness."
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala questioned the prime minister as to how the Chinese dared to "transgress" into an Indian territory and abduct its citizen.
"Dear PM, How dare Chinese Army transgress into our territory again? How can GOI permit abduction of our citizens," he asked on Twitter.
"How can GOI remain mum? Why is Govt not listening to the earnest appeal of its own MP," he also asked.
"Please don't say again - 'No one has come and no one has been abducted," he said using the hashtag 'China'.
"China builds illegal bridge on Pangong Tso Lake, Ladakh. Chinese Army transgresses and abducts our citizens in Arunanchal. China illegally occupies Depsang Plains upto Y junction. China illegally occupies Gogra Hot Springs. PM Modi and Government of India remain 'mum'!," Surjewala said in another tweet.
The latest incident came at a time when the Indian Army continues to be engaged in a stand-off with the PLA in eastern Ladakh since April 2020.
India shares a 3,400-km-long Line of Actual Control with China from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh.
With inputs from ANI and PTI