Rahul Gandhi, in his tweet, had asked, “How dare China kill our UNARMED soldiers? Why were our soldiers sent UNARMED to martyrdom?”
New Delhi| After Rahul Gandhi questioned the government that why soldiers were sent “unarmed to martyrdom” in a violent face-off with china that took the lives of 20 soldiers on Monday night, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar gave a sharp response saying, “Let’s get the facts straight”.
The foreign minister said that troops on borders always carry arms but it is a long-standing practice not to use firearms during face-offs.
“Let us get the facts straight. All troops on border duty always carry arms, especially when leaving post. Those at Galwan on 15 June did so. Long-standing practice (as per 1996 & 2005 agreements) not to use firearms during faceoffs,” the foreign minister said replying to Rahul Gandhi’s tweet.
Rahul Gandhi, in his tweet, had asked, “How dare China kill our UNARMED soldiers? Why were our soldiers sent UNARMED to martyrdom?”
After the violent face-off on Monday night between Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan Valley region of East Ladakh where 20 Indian soldiers had to lose their lives, China on Wednesday claimed sovereignty over the entire Galwan valley.
“The sovereignty over the Galwan Valley area has always belonged to China,” PLA western theatre command spokesperson Colonel Zhang Shiuli said.
India, on Thursday, rubbished China’s claim saying such “untenable claims” go against an understanding between the senior military commanders reached on June 6 to de-escalate and disengage along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
In a statement issued at 1 PM today, external affairs ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava rejected China’s claim of sovereignty over Galwan Valley.
Srivastava referred to the agreement reached by senior military commanders from both sides on June 6 for de-escalation and disengagement along the LAC and stressed that “Making exaggerated and untenable claims is contrary to this understanding.”
External affairs minister S Jaishankar, in his call to his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Wednesday, said the Indian side has insisted on the implementation of the agreement between the military commanders.
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