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Clash between India-China army, 6 soldiers hospitalized, voice of Tawang conflict will echo in Parliament today

Indian and Chinese soldiers clashed on December 9 along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang sector, in which “some soldiers from both sides suffered minor injuries”, according to the Indian Army, both in eastern Ladakh. Last Friday, a skirmish took place near the Yangtse on the LAC in the sensitive area amid the border standoff between the sides for more than 30 months.

The Indian Army said in a statement, “Our soldiers faced the Chinese soldiers with determination. In this skirmish, some soldiers from both sides suffered minor injuries.” The army also said, “Both sides immediately retreated from the area. After this, our commander held a ‘flag meeting’ with the Chinese counterpart to restore peace as per the established mechanisms.” Six army personnel have been admitted to the hospital in Guwahati. According to sources in ABP News, 20 soldiers from the Chinese side were injured in the skirmish. After the news of this clash came out, the opposition has become aggressive.

The army statement did not mention the number of soldiers involved in the clash and the number of soldiers injured in the incident. Both sides have ‘different perceptions’ regarding areas on LAC in Tawang sector. The army said, “Both sides patrol in some areas claimed by them adjacent to the LAC in the Tawang sector in Arunachal Pradesh. This series is going on since 2006.

It is believed that the number of Chinese soldiers injured in the skirmish could be much higher. This is the first major clash between the Indian and Chinese armies since August 2020 near Rinchen La in eastern Ladakh. Indian and Chinese troops had a brief standoff along the Yangtse in October last year as well and it was resolved after talks between local commanders of both sides as per established protocol.

In June 2020, after the fierce conflict in the Galvan Valley, relations between India and China had come to a standstill. Both sides gradually deployed thousands of soldiers and heavy weapons on the LAC. After the eastern Ladakh standoff, the Indian Army has significantly enhanced its operational capabilities along the LAC in the eastern theatre. The eastern theater largely comprises the border areas along the LAC in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh and the border areas have several sensitive forward positions including the Tawang and North Sikkim sector.

Army officials said the army has put in place an effective surveillance mechanism and the overall surveillance of the areas has improved significantly in the last two years. In September, the Commander of the Army’s Eastern Command, Lt Gen Rana Pratap Kalita, had said that the Indian Army is constantly monitoring PLA activities along the LAC and is fully prepared to deal with any challenge. After the eastern Ladakh standoff that began on May 5, 2020, India is ramping up infrastructure development along the nearly 3,500-km-long LAC.

At the same time, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday accused the central government of keeping the country in the dark regarding the incident of skirmish between Indian and Chinese soldiers on the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Owaisi said that he would present an adjournment motion in Parliament on this issue on December 13.

In a series of tweets, Owaisi, MP from Hyderabad, alleged that the “weak political leadership” under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has led to this humiliation against China. Owaisi tweeted, “The news coming from Arunachal Pradesh is disturbing and worrying. A major skirmish took place between Indian and Chinese soldiers and the government kept the country in the dark for several days. Why was he not informed when Parliament was in session?”

In another tweet, the AIMIM leader said, “Army is capable of giving a befitting reply to China at any time. Weak political leadership under the leadership of Modi is the reason for this insult against China. There is an urgent need to discuss this in Parliament. I will move an adjournment motion on this issue tomorrow. Were there shots fired or did it happen like Galwan? How many soldiers have been injured? What is their status? Why can’t Parliament lend its public support to the soldiers to send a strong message to China?”

Congress alleged, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is putting the country in danger to save his image. Party general secretary Jairam Ramesh also claimed that the Congress has repeatedly tried to wake up the government about China’s antics on the border for the last two years, but the Modi government is trying to suppress the matter only to save its political image.

He tweeted, ‘We are proud of the valor of the Indian Army. China’s actions on the border are completely unacceptable. For the last two years, we have been repeatedly trying to wake up the government, but the Modi government is trying to suppress this matter only to save its political image. Due to this, the audacity of China is increasing. Ramesh alleged, ‘No one is bigger than the country, but Modi ji is putting the country in danger to save his image.’

He said, ‘In an attempt to make the intrusion in northern Ladakh permanent, China built 200 permanent shelters within 15-18 kilometers of the LAC in Depsang, but the government remained silent. Now this new worrying matter has come to the fore.