Wayanad (Kerala) [India], October 21 (ANI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "maintaining silence" over transgressions by China in eastern Ladakh and claimed that China has occupied 1,200 km of Indian territory.

Gandhi, who was interacting with the media in his parliamentary constituency, alleged the NDA government did not want the attention of people to go to the tensions caused by China on the border.

"Have you heard the Prime Minister talking about China in the past couple of months? Why do you think he is not saying the word China? It is because he doesn't want to take the attention of the people of the country to the fact that Chinese have occupied our land. Chinese have occupied 1,200 square Kilometers of our territory," Gandhi said.

"I ask the Prime Minister when are you planning to remove Chinese from our territory. Do you think there is an issue bigger than that right now? Why does the Prime Minister not have a word to say about Bharat Mata's territory? It's a strange thing," he added.

There has been a border stand-off following transgressions by China in eastern Ladakh in April-May. India has conveyed to China that any attempt to "unilaterally" change the status quo along the Line of Actual Control is not at all acceptable. India has also said China should sincerely work with it for complete disengagement of troops at the earliest from all friction and take steps to de-escalate the situation in eastern Ladakh.

The two countries have held several rounds of military and diplomatic talks over the border row. A statement released after the 7th round of Senior Commanders meeting of India and China held in Chushul on October 12 said the two sides had a sincere, in-depth and constructive exchange of views on disengagement along the Line of Actual Control in the Western Sector of India-China border areas.

The Indian side has prepared itself for long-term deployment in the high mountainous region in view of the prevailing situation. (ANI)