Oppn raises Demchok incursions in LS
Massive infra development along LAC
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 17: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said today that the people must remain assured that India’s boundaries not only with China but all countries were safe and secure and he was saying this with full confidence as he slammed the Congress for raising the issue of Chinese incursions (at Demchok) in Eastern Ladakh sector.
“The national security is of paramount concern for us. The country must feel safe. There is no confrontation on the borders. India and China are committed to maintain peace and tranquility along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Some issues do crop up as the boundary between the two countries hasn’t been delineated,” Rajnath said in the Lok Sabha during Zero Hour after Congress leader Adir Ranjan Choudhary raked up the issue of Chinese incursions in Demchok sector of Eastern Ladakh on July 6 when the people were celebrating 84th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The Defence Minister said India’s boundaries not only with China but all countries are safe and secure. “The countrymen should remain assured. I can say this with full confidence. Generally, there is peace between India and China but to difference in perception of the LAC, sometimes a situation emerged which is unsavoury. But this has been happening since 1962 and the reason was that there was no delineated boundary between the two countries,” he added.
However, Rajnath said, to meet with such a situation (like incursions faceoff or transgressions), there is a set mechanism between India and China including talks at the local Commanders level, the Border Personnel Meeting (BPM), flag meetings and hotline contact.
“The diplomatic level talks between Special Representatives also take place at regular intervals. Then there is Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) under which talks are held between the two sides at the Joint Secretary level,” he added.
Rajnath said after Wuhan Summit level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the two countries had stressed for peace and tranquility and given strategic guidance to their Armies.
Asserting that the Government was fully alive to any kind of situation and reviews it from time to time, he said several decisions have been taken up to upgrade the infrastructure along the Sino-Indian borders including construction of railway line, airfields, tunnels etc. for security purposes.
On Doklam, Rajnath said the issue which took place in 2017 has already been discussed in the House and the Government had kept its viewpoint then. Both sides have shown restraint on Doklam, he added.
He said both India and China were committed to various agreements between them for maintaining peace and tranquility on the borders.
He said China has often been transgressing into India and follows it up with aggressive diplomacy. He wondered as to why the Congress leader (Adir Ranjan Choudhary) raised the issue in the House and asserted that the Union Government is very much aware of the situation on India’s border and periodically reviews it.
Both Governments, Singh said, periodically engage at different levels, including meetings between their NSAs and Joint-Secretary-rank officials, he said.
Biju Janata Dal’s B Mehtab stressed on the need to back the Government on the issue and also its foreign policy. The House should extend full support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in one voice, he said.
Earlier raising the issue during the Zero Hour, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adir Ranjan Choudhary said China has been pursuing the policy of aggression and making entries into our country.
On July 6, Choudhary said, when the people were celebrating 84th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Chinese army entered six kilometers into the Indian territory at Demchok (in Eastern Ladakh sector of Jammu and Kashmir) by riding on the vehicles and planted their flags there.
“This is a matter of grave concern. The issue or boundaries between the two countries has still not been settled. We have about 4000 kilometers borders with China,” he pointed out.
It may be mentioned here that Chinese civilians joined by their Army in civil dresses had drove their way about 1.5 kilometers in Demchok sector of Eastern Ladakh on July when the people were celebrating birthday of the Dalai Lama. However, they had returned after about 30-40 minutes on being asked by the Indian troops.
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