Asserting that the brutal killing of 20 Indian Army men by Chinese forces have shaken the conscience of the country, Congress president Sonia Gandhi Wednesday posed several hard questions to the BJP government at the Centre and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to tell the country how China was able to occupy Indian territory.

In a video message, she said the Prime Minister should disclose to the country the situation on the ground in Galwan Valley.

The Congress leader’s remarks come a day after the Army disclosed that 20 military personnel, including a colonel-rank officer, were killed in the worst flare-up on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in nearly five decades.

“The Prime Minister should come before the country and tell the nation the truth as to how China occupied Indian soil and why 20 Indian soldiers had to lay down their lives. What is the situation on the ground? Are our Army officers or soldiers still missing? How many of our Army officers and soldiers are seriously injured,” said the Congress President.

“The Prime Minister should come before the country and tell the nation the truth as to how China occupied Indian soil and why 20 Indian soldiers had to lay down their lives. What is the situation on the ground? Are our Army officers or soldiers still missing? How many of our Army officers and soldiers are seriously injured,” said the Congress President.

“Cheen ne hamari kitne hisse par aur kahan kabza kar rakha hain. What is the thinking, policy and solution of the Government to deal with the situation….We want to assure that the Congress party stands with the Army, soldiers and their families and the government in this hour of crisis. I am confident that in this challenging time the entire country will unite and face the enemy. I urge the Prime Minister to come before the nation at this time of crisis and reassure the country on the basis of truth and facts,” added Gandhi.

This is the first time in the last 45 years that Indian or Chinese troops have been killed on the LAC. In 1975, an Indian patrol was ambushed by the Chinese in Arunachal Pradesh. Prior to that, there was a violent showdown in Nathu La in Sikkim in 1967 in which 88 Indian soldiers and over 300 Chinese soldiers were killed.