"China has committed a big crime by killing unarmed Indian soldiers. I want to ask who sent these bravehearts towards danger without arms and why. Who is responsible for this," he asked in a video message

Speaking on the violent face-off between Indian Army and Chinese troops in Ladakh's Galwan Valley, Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday questioned why Indian security personnel were "sent "unarmed to martyrdom" in Ladakh and asked who is responsible for sending them towards danger.

"China has committed a big crime by killing unarmed Indian soldiers. I want to ask who sent these bravehearts towards danger without arms and why. Who is responsible for this," he asked in a video message.

"How dare China kill our unarmed soldiers? Why were our soldiers sent unarmed to martyrdom," he said. At least 20 Indian Army personnel, including a Colonel rank officer, had lost their lives in the violent face-off in the Galwan valley area of Ladakh on June 15.

This comes a day after he slammed Defence Minister Rajnath Singh asking him why he took two days to condole the death of 20 Indian soldiers who were killed in violent face-off with Chinese troops in Ladakh's Galwan Valley.

The violent face-off happened in Galwan valley as a result of an attempt by the Chinese troops to "unilaterally change" the status quo during de-escalation in eastern Ladakh and the situation could have been avoided if the agreement at the higher level been scrupulously followed by the Chinese side, India said on June 16.