Rajnath Singh's statement on LAC faceoff angers Congress; seeks exposé of China's deceit

On Tuesday, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala accused Defence Minister Rajnath Singh of not revealing China's deceit to sustain the Centre's narrative. He reiterated the claim that China had intruded into Indian territory. According to Surjewala, the Union government had provided an opportunity for China to dissociate itself from aggression committed during the LAC faceoff. 

He lamented that the Centre was more concerned about covering up an alleged incorrect remark by Prime Minister Narendra Modi than territorial integrity. The Congress spokesperson was referring to the PM's assertion during the all-party meeting that neither anyone had intruded into Indian land nor taken over any post of the country. It is pertinent to note that the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and the Defence Minister have consistently rubbished the claim of the Congress party. 

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Rajnath Singh's statement on LAC faceoff

Making a statement on the LAC situation in the Lok Sabha earlier in the day, Rajnath Singh affirmed that the Armed Forces were capable of facing any challenge from China. While acknowledging that the situation at the LAC is very different both in terms of the scale of troops involve and the number of friction points, he reiterated India's commitment for a peaceful resolution of the dispute. Observing that the violent conduct of Chinese troops was a violation of all past agreements, he informed the MPs that India has done counter deployments in the area to safeguard the border. Singh conceded that the LAC boundary issue remains unresolved due to the reluctance of China to recognise the traditional and customary alignment of the border.

Moreover, he added that China is in the illegal occupation of 38,000 sq. km in Ladakh apart from 5,180 sq. km of Indian territory in PoK ceded by Pakistan in 1963. Acknowledging that this is a complex issue, he highlighted that peace and tranquillity in border areas is imperative for the development of the bilateral relationship. He explained that both sides continued to have a differing perception about the LAC over the last many decades. The LAC faceoff was exacerbated when 20 Indian Army soldiers including a Commanding Officer were martyred in the Galwan Valley on June 15, followed by multiple attempts of provocation by the Chinese side at the end of August.

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