Owaisi questions consensus reached between India-China after Jaishankar-Wang Yi meet

Within hours of a joint statement by Ministry of External Affairs on the meeting between foreign ministers of India and China, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has raised questions on it. On Friday, taking to Twitter, Owaisi asked as to why external affairs minister S Jaishankar did not demand a return to the status quo ante on the LAC in Ladakh. He questioned Jaishankar's five-point consensus with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and asked the government to clarify on it.

Owaisi who has raised several questions in the past on the situation at the Line of Actual Control and about Chinese incursion sought an answer on how New Delhi will ensure that the Chinese side will follow the terms of this consensus. He also claimed that military talks had not led anywhere and the Modi government should not make it a veil for their "political failure."

Owaisi asked, "We have seen the joint statement of the foreign ministers. Why has Jaishankar  not asked for a return to the status quo ante as of April, on the LAC in Ladakh?" He continued, "What new has been agreed upon in the meeting that will allow the talks between military commanders to succeed now? The government should clarify this. Military talks have not led anywhere so far and they should not be made to bear the burden of political failure."

READ | China provoked again even as talks continued; India took timely defensive action: MEA

MEA statement on Jaishankar-Wang Yi meet

Amid months-long heightened tensions at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi along the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) council of foreign ministers’ summit in Moscow. Both the leaders arrived at a five-point consensus to resolve the border tensions in what the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has called a "frank and constructive discussion".

In a statement, MEA has said that both sides should take guidance from the series of consensuses reached various levels and not allow "differences to become disputes." Noting that the situation along the LAC is not beneficial for any of the two countries, both the leaders observed that "dialogue" should continue to "quickly disengage, maintain proper distance and ease tensions." Jaishankar and Wang Yi also agreed that both sides "shall abide by all the existing agreements and protocol on China-India boundary affairs, maintain peace and tranquillity."

READ | India & China reach 5-point consensus amid LAC tensions as Jaishankar meets Wang Yi

This meeting is crucial as the Indian Army, and the Chinese PLA soldiers are involved in a standoff at the border and the brigade commander-level talks between two countries that started last Monday, ended inconclusively. It was the second high-level meeting between leaders of two countries within a short space of time post the clash along the LAC on August 29, 30 and thereafter. Last week, Defence Ministers of both countries also met in Moscow. 

READ | Indian Army Colonel & two Jawans martyred in violent faceoff with Chinese troops at Ladakh

LAC tensions between India and China

On June 15, 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives in a violent faceoff with Chinese PLA troops at the Galwan valley in Ladakh. The Chinese side also suffered casualties but Beijing hasn't yet revealed the numbers. While military-level talks began after that between both countries, a massive anti-China sentiment rose in the country. On the intervening night of August 29-30, the PLA troops violated the previous consensus arrived at during military & diplomatic engagements. The Indian troops not only pre-empted the activity of the PLA on the southern bank of the Pangong Tso lake but also thwarted attempts to unilaterally change the facts on the ground.

Then, on August 31, the MEA revealed that China once again engaged in provocative action even as the ground commanders of the two nations were trying to deescalate the situation. However, the Indian Army yet again foiled the attempt to unilaterally change the status quo. On September 8, China claimed that the Indian troops illegally crossed the LAC and 'outrageously fired warning shots'. The Indian Army refuted all the claims by China and clarified that India is committed to disengagement and de-escalating the situation while Chinese troops fired shots in the air to provoke. 

READ | India thwarts China's attempt to change status quo at Eastern Ladakh; Army warns Beijing