Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given 1,000sqkm of Indian territory to China without a fight, a day after government sources indicated that the disengagement of troops from Patrolling Point 15 in the Gogra-Hot Springs area of eastern Ladakh had been completed.

Rahul, who is on the Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, tweeted: “China has refused to accept India’s demand of restoring status quo of April 2020. The Prime Minister has given 1000 Sq Kms of territory to China without a fight. Can the Government of India explain how this territory will be retrieved?”

Since the Chinese aggression in Ladakh in 2020, Rahul has continuously said that nothing except the restoration of status quo ante is acceptable. The Congress said the reality was dreadful, much different from what sections of the media friendly towards the government were trying to portray. “This is not disengagement. This is a compromise by the Modi government. It is beyond comprehension that we have abandoned our right to patrol the areas under our control. What kind of national interest is this?” Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said.

She said the government had tried to mislead the nation repeatedly in the name of disengagement. “The areas we patrolled have been included in the buffer zone. This is not status quo ante. We have lost out on territory, around 1000sqkm. All this is being done to protect the fake image of a robust leader that Modi has built. Is the latest engagement linked to the proposed meeting of Modi and (Chinese President) Xi Jinping at the SCO meeting after two days?” she asked.

Arguing that foreign policy had been subjugated to false propaganda about Modi’s robust leadership, Shrinate said China was making the most of this false bravado. “China has exploited to the hilt Modi’s statement that nobody has entered our territory. The Chinese PLA relies on Modi’s false statement. Isn’t he worried about demoralising the Indian Army? Why are you pushing our soldiers back? What you did in Galwan, Pangong Tso and Gogra-Hot Springs, will you do the same in the strategic Depsang as well?”She pointed to some of the actions hyped up by the Modi government to divert the nation’s attention, like banning Chinese apps while trade with China continued to soar.

Shrinate said: “Will status quo ante as of 2020 be restored or not? Can our soldiers patrol up to Patrolling Point 14 in Galwan Ghati, Patrolling Point 15, Hot Springs and Patrolling Point 17 in Goghra? Why is Modi not showing red eyes? China knows that the Modi government is satisfied with perception management and false propaganda and is making the most of it.”