Reports about Chinese troops intruding into Ladakh region have been pouring in for quite some time. It was even reported by the local administration that Chinese have interfered into the infrastructural works going on in Indian side. And it was on 15th April 2013 that the incursions / intrusions upto 19 kms inside LAC with vehicles and dogs in Daulat Beg Oldi sector attracted the attention of one and all. Government was forced to wake up by the swift reaction from media. It was reported on 6th May that that issues have been settled with Chinese authorities. It was said that the two sides have agreed to sit and talk about the peace and tranquility along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) . On the other hand China had not acknowledged that the troops that had allegedly intruded 19 km into Indian territory were going back to positions as held before 15th April 2013 ( some reports in media have said even 27 Km). Where as PTI had reported that as per spokesperson of Ministry of External Affairs an agreement was reached on 5th May that both sides would pull back their troops simultaneously from the face off point to restore status quo along Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh as it existed prior to April 15.
So, if it is so, the solution achieved included withdrawal of Indian troops from the Daulat Beg Oldi post too. Indian official sources claimed that there was no bargain deal with China. Like in the past many unanswered questions still remain. Even the J&K Chief Minister has demanded clarifications.
The seriousness with which such critical issues are handled gets exposed when one takes a close look at what the Chief Minister of a so sensitive Indian border State ( J&K) said on 6th may in this regard. Omar Abdullah while talking to media persons in the Secretariat premises Srinagar on 6th May had said I am wondering where India withdrew from and where India withdrew to because this is our territory and our side of the Line of Actual Control, . ( Daulat Beg Oldi camp site is located on the earlier trade route connecting Ladakh to Yarkand in Xinjiang ).
When a Chief Minister of a state speaks on issues based on media reports it raises many questions.
In a way Omar Abdullah joins with the common man J&K to ask GOI to come out with clarity as regards what the ground situation was on the Indian Borders. In case GOI does not clarify such ( as asked by Omar Abdullah, I am wondering where India withdrew from and where India withdrew to because this is our territory and our side of the Line of Actual Control, like doubts immediately it would surely encourage the separatists ideologies and push the common people of J&K into more and more uncertainties. Omar Abdullah is already struggling to undo the plans of the separatists / anti India elements.
No doubt in the past also there have been regular incursions on LAC . But this April ( 2013) Chinese explicitly came and established tented camps on Indian side of the LAC in Ladakh Region. It has been confirmed with the reference of official sources that they withdrew on 5th May after remaining there for 19 days. When Indian troops too have vacated some areas then how there has not been a deal is not palatable. In case GOI has some reservations for replying to common man, let the Government convey to atleast Omar Abdullah.
In the nineteenth century Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, Gulab Singh extended the geographical boundaries of Kashmir even to the other side of Himalayas. Maharajas forces even routed the Tibetan army. General Zorawar Singh, commander of Maharaja Gulab Singh had followed the route through Kishtwar in 1930s since at that time Kashmir valley was not governed by Gulab Singh.
Even Muzafarabad was not part of Kashmir Valley before 1846. Raja of Jammu’s Kishtwar governor conquered the Suru valley and Kargil (around 1835), other areas of Ladakh region (183640) and even Baltistan by 1840 AD. Zorawar Singh then marched towards Tibet in the east. Gulab Singhs forces { may be 6000 to 7000 in number } that included men from Kishtwar, Ladakh, and Baltistan moved eastwards over powering Tibetan and Chinese forces and set up a base at Taklakot near the holy Mansarovar Lake by September 1841 at a distance of nearly 725 Kms beyond the point that was at that time considered Indian frontier point. It was due to extreme cold that Zorawar Singhs men could not continue their adventure and Sino-Tibetan forces over powered them on 12 December 1841. Gulab Singh himself at that time engaged on Peshawar front leading the Anglo-Sikh operations. The Tibetans and their Chinese allies invaded Ladakh but were defeated by the Dogras in the battle of Chushul. The boundary { we can say Indian boundary } between Ladakh and Tibet was finally settled with the efforts of Forces of Gulab Singh with the Treaty of Chushul. This treaty was later violated by the rulers of China in the 1950s. Speaking on a TV interview Union Minister RPN Singh recently said 40 Chinese soldiers camping in four tents is not an intrusion. We think it is our territory . It is matter of perception. It is a 4000 km un-demarcated border . The army will be deployed only when there is incursion. Talks are on and the stand off will be resolved through diplomacy.
No doubt the visits like that of Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid could be part of the best possible diplomatic course but unless such efforts are backed by firm commitments it would be too much to expect that Chinese incursions across the LAC would not be there in future. Salman Khurshid jee meeting his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and discussing bilateral, regional and global issues would surely not so simply yield results nor would any visit to India by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.
India will have to stand firm on her territories. If Gulab Singh could do that why can not the Democratic Indian Government?
Daya Sagar is writer based in Jammu. He can be reached at: [email protected]
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
