Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday lashed out at the Centre over the economic crisis due to the Coronavirus pandemic and the tension along the border with China, attributing them to the “mismanagement” of the BJP-led NDA government and the “wrong policies” pursued by it.

In her opening remarks at the Congress Working Committee meeting today, she added that the “cumulative effect is widespread misery, fear and danger to the security and territorial integrity of the country”.

Stating that the economic crisis has only worsened, Sonia Gandhi alleged that the Modi government “refuses to listen to good advice”.

The opposition parties, especially the Congress, have been constantly questioning the Government on the deadly face-off with China in the Galwan Valley along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh on June 15.

The Congress president stressed that there is a full-blown crisis at LAC and added that the Government has been in denial even as Chinese troops continued to commit brazen transgressions into India’s territory in Pangong Tso Lake area and the Galwan Valley in Ladakh since April-May.

She also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi informing at an all-party meeting that “no one had intruded into Indian territory in Ladakh”.

“…there is a growing feeling among the people that the government has gravely mishandled the situation. The future is yet to unfold but we hope that mature diplomacy and decisive leadership will inform the government’s actions in protecting our territorial integrity,” Sonia Gandhi said.

Gandhi, on behalf of the Congress party, also urged upon the Government that peace, calm and the restoration of the status quo ante along the LAC be the only guiding principles in national interest” and added that the Opposition would “continue to closely watch the situation”.

Meanwhile, at the meeting, former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh said if the border crisis is not tackled properly, it can lead to a serious situation.

Endorsing party chief Sonia Gandhi’s view that the face-off at the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh is a full blown crisis, Manmohan Singh said: “The crisis on the border, which if not tackled firmly, can lead to a serious situation.”

The CWC meeting was called to discuss the issue of stand-offs with China and Nepal. It was held to deliberate on the killing of 20 Indian soldiers by Chinese forces in Galwan Valley on June 15, Nepal adopting a resolution to print a new map which has Indian territory and also the situation due to the Coronavirus pandemic.