New Delhi: China continued with its aggressive posturing on Wednesday and demanded a thorough investigation by India into the violent clash in Ladakh and severe punishment for those found responsible. In a statement put out after a telephone conversation between its State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, China also warned that India “must not misjudge the current situation and must not underestimate China’s firm will to safeguard territorial sovereignty.”
The Chinese side further demanded that India should strictly control its frontline troops and immediately stop all provocative actions to ensure that such incidents don’t occur again. India put the blame squarely on the Chinese side for creating a dispute by attempting to raise a structure in Galwan Valley and said that its pre-meditated and planned action resulted in violence and casualties.
While conveying in the strongest terms the protest of the Indian government, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that the need of the hour is for the Chinese side to reassess its actions and take corrective steps. He also said the unprecedented development will have a serious impact on India China relationship. Both sides were back to blaming one another despite suffering significant casualties.
The two Asian giants maintained a firm tone but their messages were flavoured with warning, assertion, veiled threat and a hint of reconciliation in mutual interest. The Indian statement mentioned that it was agreed neither side would take any action to escalate matters and instead ensure peace and tranquillity as per bilateral agreements and protocols. It said that the two sides should scrupulously and sincerely implement the understanding reached by senior commanders on June 6.
China, however, accused the Indian frontline frontier troops of openly breaching the understanding reached at the military level between the two parties. It blamed the troops for crossing the actual control line and deliberately provoking the other side. Statements put out by the foreign ministries of India and China had predictably different perceptions of how the eyeball to eyeball confrontation got out of hand. In the morning, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh convened a meeting in South Block with the Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat, and the three Service Chiefs to take stock of the situation in Ladakh.
He tweeted, “The loss of soldiers in Galwan is deeply disturbing and painful. Our soldiers displayed exemplary courage and valour in the line of duty and sacrificed their lives in the highest traditions of the Indian Army.” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi challenged the Defence Minister in a tweet by asking, “ If it was so painful, why insult Indian Army by not naming China in your tweet, why take two days to condole and why address rallies as soldiers were being martyred?”
Rahul’s mother and Congress President, in a video message paid tribute to the twenty brave martyrs and offered condolences to their families. She said PM Modi should tell the nation in this hour of crisis how many of our soldiers are injured and whether any of our soldiers are missing. Indian Youth Congress President B V Srinivas and his party activists were dragged and taken away by Delhi Police when they gathered in front of the Chinese embassy to commemorate the martyrdom of the Indian Army Commanding Officer and soldiers at the LAC.
