Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday urged all Indians to "stand together as a nation and be united" in response to China "brazenly and illegally seeking to claim parts of Indian territory."
The senior Congress leader, in a statement, urged the Centre to ensure complete transparency, "We remind the Government that disinformation is no substitute for diplomacy or decisive leadership. The truth cannot be suppressed by having pliant allies spout comforting but false statements."
Singh's statements have come amid the ongoing dispute between India and China following the violent face-off on June 15-16 between troops of both the countries at the Galwan valley in Ladakh in which at least 20 Indian Army personnel were killed.
The former PM also said that the Centre's "decisions and actions will have serious bearings on how the future generations perceive us. Those who lead us bear the weight of a solemn duty. And in our democracy that responsibility rests with the office of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister must always be mindful of the implications of his words and declarations on our Nation's security as also strategic and territorial interests."
"China is brazenly and illegally seeking to claim parts of Indian territory such as the Galwan Valley and the Pangong Tso Lake by committing multiple incursions between April 2020 till date. We cannot and will not be cowed down by threats and intimidation nor permit a compromise with our territorial integrity," the statement by Singh read.
Singh also implored the Prime Minister and the Centre to rise to the occasion and ensure that there is justice for Colonel B Santosh Babu and other soldiers "who have made the ultimate sacrifice and resolutely defended our territorial integrity. To do any less, would be a historic betrayal of the people's faith."
( With inputs from ANI )