NEW DELHI: The government on Saturday said attempts are being made to give a “mischievous interpretation” to Prime Narendra Modi’s remarks at an all-party meeting that no one has entered Indian territory or captured any military post while referring to the Eastern Ladakh standoff.
A day after Modi’s comments triggered massive criticism, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) issued a statement clarifying that his observations that there was no Chinese presence on our side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) pertained to the situation as a consequence of the bravery of our armed forces, who foiled an attempt by Chinese troops to transgress into the Galwan Valley.
At the all-party meeting on Friday to discuss the situation along the India-China border, Modi said: “Na wahan koi hamari seema mein ghusa hua hai, na hi hamari koi post kisi dusre ke kabze mein hain (Neither is anyone inside our territory nor is any of our post captured).”
Following Modi’s comments, Congress accused him of surrendering Indian territory to Chinese aggression, and asked where the 20 Indian soldiers were killed if the Chinese military did not come to the Indian side of the LAC, the de-facto boundary between the two countries.
Clarifying Modi’s remarks, the PMO said “the Prime Minister paid glowing tributes to the valour and patriotism of our armed forces, which repulsed the designs of the Chinese there.
“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.”
“Attempts are being made in some quarters to give a mischievous interpretation to remarks by the prime minister at the all-party meeting on Friday,” the office said.
It further said: “As regards the transgression of LAC, it was clearly stated that the violence in Galwan on June 15 arose because Chinese side was seeking to erect structures just across the LAC and refused to desist from such actions.”
“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,” the PMO said.
The PMO said what is Indian territory is clear from the map of India and the current government is strongly and resolutely committed to that.
“Insofar as there is some illegal occupation, the all-party meeting 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 said.
“It was also made clear that this government will not allow any unilateral change of the LAC. 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,” the PMO said. (PTI)
