New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi slammed the Centre for not reacting over the reported abduction of a youth from Arunachal Pradesh by China's People Liberation Army (PLA) and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cowardly silence means "he doesn't care".
Rahul Gandhi's reaction came after MP Tapir Gao claimed on Wednesday that an Arunachal youth was abducted by the PLA from Lungta Jor area inside Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Siang district on Tuesday and his whereabouts were not known.
"A few days before Republic Day, a fortune teller of India is kidnapped by China, We are with the family of Miram Taroun and will not give up hope, will not give up. PM's cowardly silence is his statement -- he doesn't care!" the Congress leader tweeted.
The incident reportedly occurred when two youths from Zido village, opposite Tuting town – Miram Taron, 17, and Johny Yaying, 27 -- reportedly went out for hunting.
One of them, Yaying, escaped from the clutches of the PLA and reported to the authorities, Gao told UNI.
Gao, who represents Arunachal East parliamentary constituency, urged the Indian government to take the initiative for his early release.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala also questioned the government.
"Chinese Army transgresses and abducts our citizens in Arunachal and PM Modi and GOI remain mum!" he tweeted.
Meanwhile, defence sources said that the Indian Army has contacted the People's Liberation Army (PLA) over missing youth and sought its assistance to locate and have him returned to India.
"On receipt of information (about Miram Taron), the Indian Army immediately contacted the PLA through established mechanism of hotline informing that an individual, who was collecting herbs and hunting, has lost his way and cannot be found," sources in the defence establishment said.
"Assistance from PLA has been sought to locate the individual on their side and return him as per established protocol," the sources said.
In September 2020, the Chinese PLA handed over five youths from Arunachal who they claimed were found on their side. Arunachal Pradesh shares a long border with China. (Inputs from UNI)
