Earlier this week 20 Indian Army soldiers had been killed and others injured after a clash with Chinese troops at the LAC in eastern Ladakh. Following the incident, Army officials had said that the violent altercation had happened as a result of an attempt by the Chinese troops to "unilaterally change" the status quo during de-escalation.
More recently, Prime Minister Modi has caused controversy after remarking at an all party meeting that Chinese troops did not intrude into the Indian territory.
While the Centre later issued a clarification regarding the same, many political leaders have attacked the Prime Minister and the ruling BJP over the confusing comments.
On Sunday, the Kamal Haasan led Makkal Needhi Maiam took to Twitter with a strong statement, urging the Prime Minister and his supporters to not "emotionally manipulate" people. He said that millions of "true nationalists", including himself, were "deeply pained" by the soldiers' sacrifice.
"Our questions around that to the office of the PM cannot be treated as anti-national. The right to ask questions is the base of democracy and we will continue asking till we hear the truth," Haasan wrote.
Taking a dig at Prime Minister Modi, he noted that the PM "has frequented China more times than any other PM since independence". He also said that the Mahabalipuram summit had been touted as a diplomatic success.
"Merely 8 months later, the Chinese stab us in the back by killing our unarmed soldiers. If that is the result of the government's diplomacy then either their strategy has failed miserably or they failed to read the intentions of the Chinese correctly. In both cases, it is the government who needs to answer a few more questions," he added.
Haasan wrote that while this was a pertinent question, it was not the question of the moment. "Today we need to know how our soldiers' lives are being safeguarded," he said, urging the government to "divulge facts about what exactly happened on that day at Galwan so as to stop rumours".
"We need to know what is being done to control China's belligerence at the border. And let's remember it is not the army's job to do that. The army is the last resort when diplomacy fails. What should have been achieved through peace talks and goodwill is being expected by our soldiers by sacrificing their lives!" he reminded.
Haasan added that while some information would be classified, the government could "manage communication better than by just saying 'Don't doubt the army' and 'Don't be an anti-national'".
"We are beyond all that now. Let us have some transparency and accountability for a change," he wrote in conclusion.
