Security knowledgeable Lt General (Retd) Sanjay Kulkarni on Sunday mentioned Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s contemporary assertion claiming India has misplaced its land can be incorrect and no person ought to make such statements when the talks are on.

In Ladakh to pay tribute to his father and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi’s 79th birth anniversary, Rahul Gandhi earlier within the day hit out on the Centre, saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claim that not an inch of Indian land was taken by China’s People Liberation Army (PLA) troops “is not true”.

The Congress MP claimed the locals, too, contend that Indian territory was intruded upon and brought by the Chinese troops, including that it was a matter of concern.

Reacting to Rahul Gandhi’s feedback, Kulkarni advised information company ANI that since 1950, India has misplaced round 40,000 sq. km to China and “our endeavour is that we do not lose any more of our territory to China”.

“But to make such statements that we have lost here are just perceptions. It shows one against the other in poor light…,” he added.

According to Kulkarni, the army talks between India and China are on primarily as a result of there are two friction factors – Demchok and Depsang, that is the place the patrolling is being restricted.

“But to say that we have lost will be incorrect…to make such statements will be incorrect and nobody should make statements when talks are going on,” the Indian Army veteran mentioned.

Interacting with reporters after laying floral tributes to a framed {photograph} of the previous PM by a gleaming Pangong Tso on an overcast Sunday morning, the previous Congress president mentioned, “The locals here are concerned about China taking our land. They have said that the Chinese troops took away their grazing land. However, the PM says not an inch of land was taken away. This is not true, you can ask anyone here.”

Rahul Ganhi’s assertion comes days after the Indian Army and the Chinese PLA held the 19th round of military dialogue to chill tensions within the Ladakh sector. The two sides on Friday held major-general degree talks to debate excellent issues alongside the Line of Actual Control (LAC), officers conscious of the matter mentioned.

At the 19 rounds of talks between corps commanders of the 2 armies on August 13 and 14, the 2 sides agreed to resolve the remaining points alongside the LAC within the Ladakh sector.

To make sure, a joint assertion issued on August 15 didn’t point out any instant breakthrough. Despite 4 rounds of disengagement from the Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso, Gogra (PP-17A) and Hot Springs (PP-15), the Indian and Chinese armies nonetheless have tens of hundreds of troops and superior weaponry deployed within the Ladakh theatre.

Problems at Depsang within the Daulet Beg Oldi sector and Charding Nullah Junction (CNJ) within the Demchok sector are nonetheless on the negotiating desk. The final spherical of disengagement from PP-15 came about in September 2022, with the breakthrough coming after the sixteenth spherical of army talks in July 2022 to chill tensions within the delicate sector. The newest spherical of corps commander-level talks came about nearly 4 months after the 18th spherical of army dialogue was held on April 23. Those talks didn’t yield any important breakthroughs.

On Sunday, Rahul Gandhi additionally raised questions over the Union territory standing given to Ladakh after the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories following the abrogation of Article 370.

“There were so many complaints from the people of Ladakh, They are not happy with the status that has been given to them, they want more representation and unemployment is also a concern. People are saying that the state should not be run by bureaucracy but by representatives of the people, the Congress MP added.

Rahul Gandhi recalled a conversation with his father in which Rajiv Gandhi told him that Pangong Tso is the most beautiful place on earth.

“I bear in mind, once I was small, my father as soon as returned from a go to to Pangong Tso and confirmed me some footage of the lake. He advised me that that is essentially the most lovely place on earth. During the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, I used to be scheduled to come back to Ladkah however due to some logistical causes, the go to needed to be shelved. So I considered a go to later and an extended keep right here. I will even be visiting the Nubra Valley and Kargil.”

During his visit, Rahul Gandhi was accompanied by Vikar Rasool Wani, president of the Jammu & Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee and several other party officials and workers.

Earlier, in a post on the social media platform ‘X’, Rahul Gandhi wrote, “Papa, the desires you had for India are proven from these priceless reminiscences. Your mark is my method – understanding the struggles and desires of each Indian, listening to the voice of Mother India.”

On Saturday, Rahul embarked on a bike ride to Pangong Tso in Ladakh.