#INDIA CHINAFACEOFF

Let me at the onset clear a fact, I am no Defense expert, I have gone through various reports on the issue and tried to summarize what I have read. In other words made it simple for others to read and get an idea about the escalation in the Galwan Valley. I will of course stick to facts and not try to impose on them.

History

Since India and China gained independence and began a scrutiny of the borders, China refused to agree to it in toto. In fact, after gaining Nation status China had redrawn many borders and refused to accept what they believed to be injustice inflicted on them in a step motherly manner over decades. Thus, began the chapter of long drawn out disputes, which has already witnessed one major war. During the British period, Aksai Chin had been shown as an Indian territory, however, this was not accepted by the Chinese, strangely, and till 1933 Aksai Chin was accepted as a British Indian territory. During the 1950s the “so-called” romance and camaraderie between the two countries was touted and slogans like “HINDI CHINI BHAI BAHI” and adhering to “Panchsheel” was very much in the air. 

The fact, that China had very different plans became evident only after they became more aggressive. Even the correspondence between the Premiers of the two countries was not able to douse the fires of war. 

 More details can be found at:-https://www.jatinverma.org/india-china-border-conflicts

Controversies

 Who is to blame, who went wrong, what went wrong are questions which have a lot of answers but not one duly making the scenario crystal clear. To date, the accusations and counter-accusations are doing the rounds. I earnestly hope that all details of the matter should be laid open to the citizens of India.

I am not going to elaborate on these controversies, as they are already hotly debated on the SM and TV channels.

Present Scenario

India constructed a road to Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) in the Galwan Valley, this seems as one reason for the recent standoff between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). 

China accused India of trying to change the status co and moved its troops and equipment to stop the construction activity which India was undertaking. India however, refuted the charge and stated that it was well within India’s side of LAC, where the construction was being undertaken.

India as well as China thereafter brought in reinforcements to Demchok, Daulat Beg Oldie, and around the Galwan River, as well as at Pangong Tso Lake in Ladakh. Before this, we have also witnessed skirmishes at Depsang plain in northern Ladakh during 2013, Chumar In eastern Ladakh in 2014, and Doklam on the east at Bhutan’s border with China in 2017. 

Honest Political intervention is required with immediate effect to bring back peace in the area. Summit level talks have been undertaken without much result and expectations of a solution had been raised, but going by the present situation it certainly seems that China is not inclined to agree to all the settlements.

 Escalation

At the beginning of May the Chinese side tried to stop the patrolling pattern which was prevalent. Thereafter in mid-May, the Chinese side attempted to infringe the LAC in Western Sector. MEA informed the country that appropriated action had been taken there and then. On June 6 a Senior Commanders meet was held, and de-escalation and disengagement were agreed upon on reciprocal actions. However on June 15 the Chinese troops took violent actions to alter the status quo. EAM S Jaishankar and Chinese FM Wang Yi spoke on the phone, where EAM asked China to reassess its actions and take corrective steps.

The faceoff had turned violent when the Chinese had attacked the Indian army boys in the zone where it was mandatory not to use weapons. Clubs had been used by the Chinese and “Colonel B Santosh Babu” was martyred along with 20 Indian brave hearts which created an uproar across the country. On one hand, the Indian masses registered their anger, demanding for an immediate boycott of all Chinese products, apps, etc., in short Indians now wanted a complete shutdown of interaction between the two countries, but on the other hand, a seething populace across India watched the opposition especially the Congress and CPI (M) asking irrelevant and weird questions. God alone knows what their compulsions are? Only a thorough investigation in the matter might bring to light the reason behind this atrocious behavior.

I am not ready to buy the arguments given by the opposition parties that they have the best interests of the country in their hearts and the GOI is floundering. They questioned the authenticity of the news, but the country, mourning its brave hearts, felt proud to learn that our boys had inflicted greater damages on their Chinese counterparts. The number of Chinese soldiers who had been killed by our boys is said to be more than 40, which is indeed gratifying. The news worked as a balm on the wounded hearts, who took consolation from the fact that our boys had outshined their rivals, that too even though they had used no arms. It was a proud moment for the country. The opposition, even today is hell-bent on questioning everything stated by the GOI, creating unrest and trying to sully the name of the government. They are coming across like bumbling fools, whose steps are extremely anti-national, to say the least.

One wonders what are their compulsions, why are they hell-bent to spoil the image of the motherland? They are accusing the GOI of surrendering our land and bowing before the Chinese might. Hard-core facts are being furnished before them yet they are refuting these and making wild accusations which certainly are unsubstantiated. This is a long-standing dispute and the party which ruled the country for almost six decades is trying to wash its hands off from their inefficiency.

Why are they shrilly accusing the GOI? Why had they not resolved the issue long back? What will they achieve by not standing by the country in such times? It cannot only be their wish to grab power, this seems to be far beyond power games and needs to be investigated with immediate effect. 

Waiting for the day when all outstanding issues will be cleared, the opposition investigated and the Dragon stop trying to bully its neighbors into giving up land which is lawfully theirs.

The GOI under Shri Narender Modi is certainly a different proposition altogether and will not let the martyrdom of its sons go unpunished.

Jai Hind