On Tuesday, Samajwadi Party leader IP Singh challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare war on China and said that the India-China face-off was becoming intolerant. He also cornered PM Modi and his government while referring to Gujaratis as cowards. “Prime Minister should declare war with China, now it is beyond tolerance,” he tweeted.
Further, while calling himself the son of a brave soldier, Singh said that he was not a Gujarati ‘coward’ and that he had the guts and courage to fight the Chinese. “I am the son of a brave soldier, I am not a Gujarati coward, we have courage and determination,” he added.
This is days after clashes broke out between the Indian and Chinese troops on December 9 in the border area of the Tawang sector in Arunachal Pradesh. While no deaths were reported, there were reports of multiple injuries on both sides. As reported earlier, the Chinese had come heavily prepared with around 300 soldiers but didn’t expect the Indian side would also be well prepared to thwart their intrusion.
As per the reports, the Chinese PLA contacted the LAC in the Tawang sector, which was contested by Indian troops in a firm and resolute manner that led to a stand-off between the two sides. Though both sides immediately disengaged from the area after the clashes, the Chinese PLA suffered more injuries than the Indian Army troopers.
Later, Defence Ministry issued a statement and confirmed that the face-off had led to minor injuries to a few personnel from both sides. As a follow up of the incident, own Commander in the area held a Flag Meeting with his counterpart to discuss the issue in accordance with structured mechanisms to restore peace and tranquility,” it added.
Defence Minister lauds Indian Army, says they foiled Chinese bid to unilaterally change the status quo
Also today, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressed the lower house of the Indian Parliament over the scuffle that broke out between Indian and Chinese and said, “Our army valiantly fought back and forced Chinese troops to go back to their post. They foiled China’s bid to unilaterally alter the status quo along the LAC in the Tawang sector. Both sides have suffered some injury, none of our soldiers is seriously injured or dead.”
Along with the Samajwadi Party, many opposition parties including Congress and RJD also targeted the Modi-led government and said that the central government should be honest with issues related to national security. “Again our Indian Army soldiers have been provoked by the Chinese. Our jawans fought in a resolute manner and a few of them have been injured too. We are one with the nation on the issues of National Security and would not like to politicize it. But Modi govt should be honest,” Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge tweeted.
The scuffle assumes significance given that it is the first such incident since the Galwan Valley clashes between India and China more than two years ago, heightening tensions between the two countries. On June 15, 2020, the Chinese troops attacked the Indian troops along the LAC near the Ladakh border. The clashes resulted in India losing 20 of its soldiers.