House panel members to visit Galwan; Rahul Gandhi not in meeting

New Delhi: Members of the parliamentary standing committee on defence, at a meeting earlier this week, have decided to visit forward areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) including friction points of Galwan and Pangong Tso. The meeting was not attended by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The meeting, which deliberated on national security issues, recommended a visit to the border areas for all members which was agreed to by BJP leader Jual Oram who heads the committee.

Sources said a five-day tour of Kashmir and Ladakh is being planned. Friction points that are currently undergoing a de-escalation process will be visited. While all members of the committee will be invited, it is up to individuals to decide on going for the tour. Gandhi, who raised a storm at a recent committee meeting over the China border issue, has not been on any tour of the parliamentary forum yet. The committee, which compromises members from all political parties, is likely to go to Ladakh in May. The tour will include meetings with top military commanders on Ladakh and Kashmir. This would be the first multi party delegation to visit Ladakh since the border crisis broke out in May last year.

Gandhi on Friday carried out a strong attack on the government, alleging that it had given up land in the border disengagement agreement with China. This claim was strongly rebutted by the defence ministry that said that there has been no compromise on the border.