'China Has Encroached On Our Land In Ladakh': Rahul Gandhi Reacts To Map Row

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has criticised the Narendra Modi government over China's recent release of an updated map that includes parts of Indian territory. Gandhi, who returned from a visit to Ladakh on Tuesday, said that the people of the region are well aware of China's encroachment and that the prime minister should address the issue immediately.

Before departing for Bengaluru from Delhi Airport, Rahul Gandhi stated,"PM should say something on China.''

On Wednesday morning, Rahul Gandhi headed to Karnataka to unveil Congress' welfare initiatives in the southern state. KC Venugopal, the Congress party's general secretary, shared details of the upcoming program in Karnataka for August 30, which includes the launch of the "Gruha Lakshmi Yojana," touted as the world's largest welfare scheme for women. The event in Mysore is set to feature INC President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi.

China's recent release of a "new standard map" has ignited controversy, as it lays claim to Arunachal Pradesh and the Akshai Chin region, in addition to considering Taiwan as part of its territory. In response, India pushed back against the map, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar labeling it as China's recurring practice of claiming geographical areas that are not rightfully theirs. He deemed China's actions absurd.

Reacting to the 2023 "standard map" from China, Arindam Bagchi, the Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), conveyed that India has lodged a strong protest through diplomatic channels. He noted that these claims lack a factual basis and stated that such actions by China only complicate the resolution of the boundary question.