NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday asserted that no force in the world can stop Indian soldiers from patrolling the country’s border in Ladakh region.
Making a statement in Rajya Sabha on the situation in eastern Ladakh, he said China has amassed troops on the border and in response India has made appropriate counter deployment.
China, he said, made “provocative military manoeuvres” on August 29/30 in an attempt to change the status quo in the south bank area of Pangong Lake in the Ladakh region at a time when the two sides were engaged in military and diplomatic talks to de-escalate tensions.
The defence minister said there is a mismatch between what China says and does.
“Unki kathani aur karni alag hai (their actions are at variance with their words),” he said
The skirmishes and face-off in the last few months with China, that left 20 Indian soldiers dead and inflicted heavy casualties on the Chinese sides as well, were primarily over the issue of patrolling the Ladakh border.
“No force in the world can stop Indian soldiers from patrolling. Our soldiers have sacrificed their lives only for this,” the minister said.
He was responding to a clarification sought by former defence minister A K Antony on the issue of Indian forces not being allowed to patrol in certain parts of the Galwan valley.
I want to make it clear (that) skirmishes and face-off are because of this (issue of patrolling),” he said, adding the patrolling pattern is traditional and well defined.
Singh made the statement in Rajya Sabha after the government and opposition agreed not to have a discussion on the sensitive issue.
Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, however, allowed members to seek a few clarifications on the statement, which was almost identical to the one Singh had made in Lok Sabha on September 15.
The minister said India and China are yet to resolve their boundary question.
“China does not accept the customary and traditional alignment of the boundary between India and China,” he said.
“We believe that this alignment is based on well-established geographical principles confirmed by treaties and agreements, as well as historical usage and practice, well-known for centuries to both sides,” he said.
The Chinese position, however, is that the boundary between the two countries has not been formally delimited, that there exists a traditional customary line formed by the extent of jurisdiction that they claim was exercised historically by each side, and that the two sides have different interpretations of the position of the traditional customary line,” he said.
China, he said, continues to be in illegal occupation of about 38,000 square kilometers of Ladakh. Besides it also holds 5,180 sq km of Indian territory in Pakistan controlled Kashmir that Pakistan had illegally ceded in 1963.
“I would like to mention here that as yet there is no commonly delineated Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the border areas between India and China and there is no common perception of the entire LAC,” he said, adding more than two decade old agreements call for two sides to maintain minimal forces along the LAC.
On the latest situation, the minister said India has noticed a buildup of troops and armaments by China in the border areas adjacent to Eastern Ladakh since April.
“In early May, the Chinese side had taken action to hinder the normal, traditional patrolling pattern of our troops in the Galwan Valley area, which resulted in a face-off,” he said.
Even as this situation was being addressed by the Ground Commanders, in mid-May the Chinese side made several attempts to transgress the LAC in other parts of the Western Sector. This included Kongka La, Gogra and North Bank of Pangong Lake.
“These attempts were detected early and consequently responded to appropriately by our armed forces,” he said.
“We made it clear to the Chinese side both through diplomatic and military channels that China was, by such actions, attempting to unilaterally alter the status quo. It was categorically conveyed that this was unacceptable,” Singh said.
Given the growing friction along the LAC, the senior commanders of the two sides in a meeting on June 6, 2020 agreed on a process of disengagement that involved reciprocal actions.
“Both sides also agreed to respect and abide by the LAC and not undertake any activity to alter the status quo,” he said.
“However in violation of this the Chinese side created a violent face off on June 15 at Galwan. Our brave soldiers laid down their lives and also inflicted costs including casualties on the Chinese side,” he said.
Indian armed forces have during these provocative actions maintained “sayyam” (restrain) and displayed “shaurya” (valour) to protect the territorial integrity of India, he said.
Giving details of the talks held with China to de-esclate the tension, the minister said India pressed for three key principles — strictly respecting the LAC, not attempting to alter the status quo unilaterally, and abiding by all agreements and understandings between the two sides.
The Chinese side, on its part, took the position that the situation should be handled in a responsible manner and ensure peace and tranquillity as per bilateral agreements and protocol.
China made provocative military manoeuvres late last month even when these discussions were on, he said.
“As is clear from these events, the Chinese actions reflect a disregard of our various bilateral agreements. The amassing of the troops by China goes against the 1993 and 1996 agreements,” the minister said.
Respecting and strictly observing the LAC is the basis for peace and tranquillity in the border areas and explicitly recognized in both 1993 and 1996 agreements.
“While our armed forces abide scrupulously by it, this has not been reciprocated by the Chinese side. Their actions have led to face-offs and frictions from time to time along the LAC,” he said.
The incidents and “the violent conduct of Chinese forces” has been in complete violation of all mutually agreed norms, he said.
Singh said China has mobilised a large number of troops and armaments along the LAC as well as in the depth areas.
“There are several friction areas in Eastern Ladakh including Gogra, Kongka La and North and South Banks of the Pangong Lake,” he said.
In response to China’s actions, Indian armed forces have also made appropriate counter deployments in these areas to ensure that national security interests are fully protected.
“I would like to emphasise, that India remains committed to resolving the current issues in our border areas through peaceful dialogue and consultations,” he said, referring to his meeting with his Chinese counterpart in Moscow on September 4.
“I conveyed in clear terms our concerns related to the actions of the Chinese side, including amassing of large number of troops, their aggressive behaviour and attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo that were in violation of bilateral agreements,” he added.
Oppn Demands Restoration Of Status Quo
Opposition leaders in the Rajya Sabha asked the government on Thursday to restore status quo ante as on April this year on the India-China border.
Cutting across party lines, members in the Upper House of Parliament expressed their solidarity and support to the armed forces, which are facing a standoff situation against the Chinese army in eastern Ladakh.
Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anad Sharma and former defence minister A K Antony of the Congress asked the government to take efforts to restore the status quo ante of April and resolve the over-three-month-old border standoff.
Some members such as Prasanna Acharya of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Sanjay Raut of the Shiv Sena cautioned the government while entering into any agreement with China over the present situation.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh made a statement in the Rajya Sabha after the government and opposition agreed that there will be no discussion on the sensitive issue.
Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, however, allowed the members to seek a few clarifications on the statement, which was almost identical to the one Singh made in the Lok Sabha on September 15.
Sharma said the country is proud of its Army and the sacrifices made by the soldiers to protect the border.
“There should be no doubt on this and the entire nation would stand together,” he said.
Referring to the recent talks between the Indian defence minister and foreign minister with their Chinese counterparts and a statement on September 11, Sharma asked: “Do we understand that the restoration of the status quo ante will remain a non-negotiable and final objective for India?”
Antony sought a clarification over Singh’s statement in the Upper House.
“You have to clarify that sovereignty means status quo ante as on the middle of April. That is the meaning of sovereignty,” he said.
Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh was never a disputed site, the former defence minister said.
“Even at Galwan Valley, our soldiers are now not allowed to patrol at the point at which they used to patrol earlier. In the Pangong area, in a more than eight-kilometre area they are not allowing us to patrol, the area which we used to patrol. Previously, we used to patrol till Finger 8 and now we are not being allowed to patrol till Finger 8,” he added.
The Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) should be allowed to patrol at the point where they used to patrol earlier, the Congress leader said.
Azad said he stands with the armed forces and salute their valour.
Being a citizen of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, Azad said the people from there are ready to sacrifice themselves to defend the territory and integrity of the nation.
“On behalf of my party, I would say at least on this China issue, we stand with the government. There should be no compromise. They should go back to the position where they were in April,” the Congress leader said.
RCP Singh of the Janata Dal (United) said China is an “ungrateful’ country that always follows a “policy of aggression”. He suggested that the government should negotiate with the neighbouring country from a position of strength.
Tiruchi Siva and P Wilson of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) expressed their solidarity with the armed forces.
Raut said patience and valour are the traditions of India, but not of China.
The neighbouring country has a “tradition of betrayal and we should always be careful with them,” the Shiv Sena leader said.
BP Baishya of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) said the people of the northeast are with the armed forces and salute their sacrifice.
Ravi Prakash Verma of the Samajwadi Party (SP), K Keshava Rao of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), Binoy Viswam of the Communist Party of India (CPI), Elamaram Kareem of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Sanjay Singh of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Veer Singh of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) also participated in the debate and expressed their solidarity with the armed forces.
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 | |
