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India-China face-off: PMO clarifies Modi’s remarks over Chinese intrusion
- The Narendra Modi led government will not allow China to make unilateral change of the Line of Actual Control border, the strongly worded clarification issued on Saturday said.
NEW DELHI: Prime minister Narendra Modi’s remarks that there was no Chinese intrusion into India was the consequence of action taken by Indian army personnel including 20 among them who were killed during a violent face off with Chinese forces earlier this week, a statement from Modi’s office said Saturday.
The Narendra Modi led government will not allow China to make unilateral change of the Line of Actual Control border, the strongly worded clarification issued on Saturday said.
“What is Indian territory is clear from the map of India. This Government is strongly and resolutely committed to that,” the statement from the prime minister’s office said in the wake of some confusion over Modi’s remarks on Friday at an all party meeting on Friday.
“Neither anyone has intruded into our territory nor taken over any post. Our forces are doing what they have to do to protect the country, whether it is deployment, action or counter-action. Our patrolling capacity has increased due to newly built infrastructure, especially along LAC," Modi had said at the all party meeting, referring to the 3,488 kilometres LAC between India and China.
In response to criticism and questions over the remark, Modi’s office on Saturday clarified that “the Prime Minister’s observations that there was no Chinese presence on our side of the LAC pertained to the situation as a consequence of the bravery of our armed forces.” This was due to the action taken by the Indian army men on the spot, 20 of whom were killed in a violent face-off with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), it clarified.
“The sacrifices of the soldiers of the 16 Bihar Regiment foiled the attempt of the Chinese side to erect structures and also cleared the attempted transgression at this point of the LAC on that day,” it said.
“Insofar as there is some illegal occupation, the APM (All Party Meeting on Friday) was briefed in great detail how over the last 60 years, more than 43,000 sq.km has been yielded under circumstances with which this country is well aware. It was also made clear that this Government will not allow any unilateral change of the LAC,” the statement on Saturday said.
“Attempts are being made in some quarters to give a mischievous interpretation to remarks by the Prime Minister at the All-Party Meeting (APM)” on Friday, the statement said by way of clarification.
At the meeting, the “Prime Minister was clear that India would respond firmly to any attempts to transgress the Line of Actual Control (LAC). In fact, he specifically emphasized that in contrast to the past neglect of such challenges, Indian forces now decisively counter any violations of LAC (“unheroktehain, unhetoktehain”),” the statement said.
The meeting was also informed that “this time, Chinese forces have come in much larger strength to the LAC and that the Indian response is commensurate. As regards transgression of LAC, it was clearly stated that the violence in Galwan on 15 June arose because Chinese side was seeking to erect structures just across the LAC and refused to desist from such actions,” the statement said.
“Insofar as there is some illegal occupation, the APM was briefed in great detail how over the last 60 years, more than 43,000 sq.km has been yielded under circumstances with which this country is well aware. It was also made clear that this Government will not allow any unilateral change of the LAC,” it said.
“At a time when our brave soldiers are defending our borders, it is unfortunate that an unnecessary controversy is being created to lower their morale. However, the predominant sentiment at the All Party Meeting was of unequivocal support to the Government and the armed forces at a time of national crisis. We are confident that the unity of the Indian people will not be undermined by motivated propaganda,” the statement added.
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First Published:20 Jun 2020, 02:36 PM IST
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