After the western border, this time on the eastern border. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh admitted in Parliament that the Chinese army attacked the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh on December 9 and tried to change the status quo of the Line of Actual Control in the style of Galwan in Ladakh. However, the Chinese army was forced to retreat as the Indian troops fought back. Although some soldiers from both sides were injured in the clash, there were no reports of deaths like in Galwan.
21 years ago, on the day of the Parliament attack, the Narendra Modi government accepted the Chinese attack. China, on the other hand, claims that it was the Indian Army that violated the Line of Actual Control.
The news of the invasion of the Chinese army in the Yangtze sector of Tawang came to the fore on the 12th. As the winter session continues, the opposition gathered in both houses of the Parliament yesterday demanding a discussion on the issue and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech. The question-and-answer session of the Lok Sabha was adjourned due to the protests. The government then assured that Defense Minister Rajnath Singh would address this issue in the Lok Sabha at noon and in the Rajya Sabha at 2:00 pm.
In his speech, Rajnath said that on December 9, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) attempted to violate the Line of Actual Control in the Yangtze area of the Tawang sector to disrupt the border status quo. According to sources, about 300 Chinese troops attacked that day. When the Indian army resolutely stopped them, the two sides clashed.
Comment from Singh
Rajnath said that although some jawan of both sides were injured in the clash, none of them was seriously injured. In the statement, he claimed, two days after the incident of Friday’s aggression, the two countries held a flag meeting at the level of local commanders. China has been asked to stop such aggression in the area and maintain peace. Apart from the army authorities, Rajnath said that talks have started with Beijing on the matter diplomatically as well. On the other hand, China has claimed that the Indian Army violated the Line of Actual Control in Tawang.
A clash ensued. Now the situation is stable.
Yesterday, instead of Rajnath Singh’s short reply in the Parliament, the MPs of the opposition party gathered demanding a detailed discussion on the matter. But the ruling party did not meet that demand and simultaneously the opposition walked out of the Lok Sabha. The same pattern was repeated in Raj Sabha. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said, “The government is not willing to listen to us. Which is not good for the country at all.”
Wrapping up
Hyderabad MIM party chief Asaduddin Owaisi repeatedly described the failure of China’s border incursion as a failure of the Prime Minister’s leadership. He said, “The clash took place on December 9. And the government is informing the parliament about it today.”