'After Galwan, now Arunachal Pradesh?': Congress seeks answers from Modi, Shah
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the government must clarify whether the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) had expanded its presence near Taksing and whether Indian forces had lost regular access to Shera-5, a designated Patrolling Point.
- Aug 14, 2026,
- Updated Aug 14, 2026, 1:17 PM IST
- Kharge asked if PLA presence near Taksing has expanded recently
- He questioned whether India still regularly accesses Shera-5 patrolling point
- Congress said local grazing and hunting grounds were becoming inaccessible
The Congress on August 14 demanded answers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah over reports that Chinese troops have restricted the movement of Indian forces in certain areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the government must clarify whether the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) had expanded its presence near Taksing and whether Indian forces had lost regular access to Shera-5, a designated Patrolling Point.
"After Galwan, now Arunachal Pradesh?" Kharge said in a post on X, calling the reports "disturbing" and seeking "immediate answers from the Modi Government".
He said the Congress had "complete faith in the courage and capability of the Indian Armed Forces" and that India stood firmly behind its soldiers against any Chinese aggression.
Kharge also questioned whether Indian troops were being restricted from patrolling the sensitive sector during winter while the PLA maintained a presence throughout the year.
"Why are traditional grazing and hunting grounds becoming inaccessible to local communities?" he asked.
The Congress president further questioned whether the pre-May 2020 status quo in eastern Ladakh had been fully restored and accused the BJP government of withholding information about the situation along the border.
"India retains full access to all areas and Patrolling Points it accessed prior to May 2020," Kharge said, demanding that the government take Parliament into confidence.
He also referred to the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed, and criticised Modi's handling of relations with China.
"That record inspires no confidence," Kharge said, alleging that the government's response had emboldened Chinese transgressions.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had made a similar allegation on Thursday, claiming that China had stopped Indian troops from patrolling certain areas along the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh and accusing the government of trying to "hide it".
The government has not yet issued a specific response to the Congress allegations or confirmed any such development in Arunachal Pradesh.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday that India regards matters concerning its border areas with China as "most serious". It stressed that maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LAC remains of "utmost importance", noting that the border situation would influence the broader trajectory of bilateral ties.
The remarks came amid reports of increased Chinese military activity in Arunachal Pradesh's Upper Subansiri region.
China, meanwhile, said on Wednesday that the situation along the India-China border was "generally stable at the moment", while declining to comment on reports of increased military activity near Arunachal Pradesh.
