Rahul Gandhi's China remark sparks row; BJP, Congress debate on his claims

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remark that China has taken away people's land in Ladakh has sparked a row. Union ministers, including EAM S Jaishankar, hit out at Gandhi over his China and said that it is an old habit of the Congress leader to make such claims.

Rahul Gandhi's remarks have raised questions of whether issues of national security should be discussed publicly and whether the government is hiding border issues. 

BJP leader Nalin Kohli, Congress leader Salman Soz and Lt. Gen (Retd) Sanjay Kulkarni joined India Today's Rajdeep Sardesai to discuss these questions. 

Kohli alleged Rahul Gandhi tried to "deflect the nation's attention from the fact that he was taking a vacation on a bike trip and he was seen driving on excellent infrastructure in Ladakh, which was not the case in 2012". He added that the PM Modi-led government built the roads that Gandhi was seen driving on. 

Speaking on whether national security should be discussed publicly, Congress leader Salman Soz, said it is an issue of "grave public importance". He added, "When the prime minister says that not an inch of land has been intruded upon, he is misleading the country and we have to call him out. What Rahul Gandhi said is not something he's saying of his own volition. He's talked to the people of Ladakh and he's reporting what he's found."