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Trump signs Uighur bill, USA can now identify and sanction Chinese officials responsible for human rights violations in Xinjiang camps

OpIndia Staff
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Trump signs Uighur bill, USA can now identify and sanction Chinese officials responsible for human rights violations in Xinjiang camps

On Wednesday, the Trump administration in the USA signed a legislation that allows the American Government to hold Chinese officials responsible for China’s persecution of Uighur and other Muslim minority groups. The bill, formally named the “Uighur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020,” was approved by the House and Senate in May.

Trump issued a statement that said, “the signed legislation holds accountable perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses such as the systematic use of indoctrination camps, forced labour, and intrusive surveillance to eradicate the ethnic identity and religious beliefs of Uighur and other minorities in China.”

Legislation asks for the closure of camps in Xinjiang

The Hill reported that the legislation objects to the treatment of Uighur Muslims and other Muslim minorities by the Chinese Communist Party. It calls for closure of such camps in the Xinjiang region of China. The legislation gives the American government the power to identify and sanction individuals responsible for the abuse of minority groups.

USA can block assets and deny visas to identified officials

Within 180 days of signing the bill, as per a report in ANI, the Trump government will submit a report to Congress that will identify each foreign individual, including officials from the Chinese government responsible for human rights abuse of Uighur Muslims in the Xinjiang region. The abuses listed in the legislation include torture, degrading treatment or punishment, prolonged detention without charges and a trial, abduction and denial of the right to life, liberty, or the security of a person.

The administration is required to sanction the responsible individual by blocking their assets and declare them ineligible for admission or visas to the United States. The White House has the power to waive sanctions but only after notifying Congress and that too if it is in the national interest.

Senator Marco Rubio authored the legislation. It passed the Senate by unanimous consent, and the House approved it with a bipartisan vote in May.

China condemns legislation

Chinese government’s mouthpiece Global Times posted two tweets condemning the legislation. They wrote that the legislation defames the human rights situation in China. It added that America is trying to attack China’s policy and interfering in China’s internal matters.

In the second tweet, they said that China had urged the Trump administration to correct its mistake, otherwise, China has to take countermeasures and the US will face the consequences.

Trump agreed to Xi Jinping’s reasoning behind camps, says John Bolton

The day on which the legislation was signed, The Wall Street Journal published an excerpt from a book published by former national security adviser John Bolton that alleged that during the G20 meeting of 2019 in Osaka, Trump might have agreed with the reason given by Chinese President Xi Jinping for building the camps in the Xinjiang province.

Bolton wrote, “According to our interpreter, Trump said that Xi should go ahead with building the camps, which Trump thought was exactly the right thing to do,”

He added, “The National Security Council’s top Asia staffer, Matthew Pottinger, told me that Trump said something very similar during his November 2017 trip to China.” The Department of Justice has already filed a suit against the release of the book that is set to be published next week, stating it contains classified information.

China’s treatment of the Uighur Muslims

The Chinese administration has been under fire for its treatment of Uighur Muslims and other Muslim minorities in China. In 2019, Muslims had called for a boycott of Chinese products against Chinese policies and ban on Ramzan in China. However, China has used its power to suppress the voice of leaders on the international platform. The ties between China and Pakistan are well known, and Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has refused to comment on Uighur Muslims on several occasions. Chinese video app TikTok also banned user(s) on several occasions for highlighting the plight of Muslims in the Xinjiang region.

Did you know Congress party had signed a deal with Chinese Communist Party to consult each other on ‘important issues’: Read details

OpIndia Staff
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Did you know Congress party had signed a deal with Chinese Communist Party to consult each other on ‘important issues’: Read details

As tensions are mounting between India and China amidst the ongoing aggression from Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control near Galwan Valley at Ladakh resulting in the death of 20 Indian soldiers and over 40 casualties on the Chinese side, there seems to be no-coherence between the opposition parties in the country as they have yet again resorted to cheap politicking of issues critical to national security.

At a time when the opposition parties, especially the Congress party has been castigating the Modi government over the ongoing standoff and subsequent Chinese aggression along the LAC on Monday resulting in the unfortunate death of Indian soldiers, more details are emerging regarding the intimate connection between the Congress party and the Communist Party of China (CPC) – the ruling and only political party in China.

The Congress party’s kid-glove treatment to China and the soft-condemnation against the Communist nation has now raised eyebrows as to know why the principal opposition party has been soft towards the hostile neighbour of the country. It is being said that the close connections between the Congress party and the CPC may be one of the reasons why the principal opposition party has now chosen to remain mute in attacking the Chinese and instead has been unleashing all its attacks against its own government.

Congress had signed a deal with the CCP to consult on ‘important issues’

One of the main reasons for the silence of the Congress party, perhaps, stems from the 7 August, 2008 agreement between the Sonia Gandhi-led Congress party and the Communist Party of China (CPC).

During UPA1 in 2008, the Congress party and the Communist Party of China (CPC) had signed a deal in Beijing for exchanging high-level information and co-operation between them. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) also provided the two parties with the “opportunity to consult each other on important bilateral, regional and international developments”.

Interestingly, the MoU was signed by the then Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi and on the Chinese side, it was signed by none other than Xi Jinping himself, who was then the Chinese vice-president and standing committee member of the CPC’s politburo. The MoU was signed in the presence of his mother and party president Sonia Gandhi.

Before the signing of the MoU, the then Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi had held a long meeting with Xi and other senior leaders of the Communist Party of China to discuss issues of mutual interest.

In 2008, Sonia Gandhi had visited Beijing along with Rahul, daughter Priyanka, son-in-law Robert Vadra and their two children to attend the opening of the Olympic Games. A year before, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had also led a delegation of the Congress party to China.

The 2008 MoU between CCP and Congress came at a time when the Left parties in India had expressed lack of trust in UPA-1 government led by Congress. The India Today report suggests that even as China was aware of the political landscape in India, Xi Jinping went ahead and signed the pact with Congress as CCP wanted deeper ties with Congress, especially the Gandhi family.

Rahul Gandhi’s mysterious relationship with China

Not just the MoUs, but the close relationship between the Chinese leadership and the Congress party, especially Rahul Gandhi had also got highlighted just few years ago during the Doklam stand-off when Rahul Gandhi was caught secretly meeting Chinese officials.

The Gandhi-scion, not once but twice, was caught meeting Chinese officials, raising suspicion among the policymakers regarding the intent of his secretive meeting with the Chinese.

The first meeting had taken place in 2017, when Rahul Gandhi had a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui, especially at a time when India and China were in the middle of a stand-off at Doklam. At first, the Congress party had denied such meetings and had termed news reports suggesting that the Gandhi-scion had indeed met Chinese officials as ‘fake news’.

However, Congress party had to face massive embarrassment after the Chinese embassy had themselves confirmed about the meeting between the then Congress vice president and the Chinese envoy.

This meeting was especially suspicious, because the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi, at that time were vehemently attacking the Indian government over their stand in the ongoing military standoff with China.

In 2018, Rahul Gandhi had himself revealed regarding the secret meeting with a couple of Chinese ministers during his trip to Kailash Mansarovar in September 2018. The meeting was kept secret initially but later Rahul Gandhi had revealed the details of the meeting accidentally leading to people to speculate even more as to why both the Congress party and China were trying to hide the meeting.

Rahul Gandhi, the then president of India’s main opposition party secretly meeting the government officials of China and taking steps to keep the meetings secret had raised quite a few eyebrows back then.

Congress party’s disapproval over Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s backlash against China

In another interesting turn of events, Congress leader and Leader of Congress party in Lok Sabha – Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, in May, had tweeted against China for its aggression along the LAC and had issued some warnings to China while praising the Indian forces.

The Congress leader, slamming China, warned the communist nation about how Indian forces can ‘defang the venomous snakes’ like China and stated that the entire world was watching the sinister designs of China while calling them “Yellow expansionist”. Chowdhury also urged the Modi government to accord to diplomatic recognition to Taiwan “without much delay”.

However, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s bluster against China did not last long. Congress Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was forced to delete his tweet against China as it had reportedly did not please the Congress leadership.

After Chowdhury’s aggressive tweet against China, Rajya Sabha MP and senior Congress leader Anand Sharma had soon issued a clarification for the anti-China tweet made by the Congress leader Chowdhury.

Anand Sharma had tweeted, “The Indian National Congress recognises and values the special strategic partnership between India and China. As two ancient civilisations and large economies of the world, both countries are destined to make a significant contribution in the 21st Century.”

“The views of Congress Lok Sabha leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in China are his own and do not reflect the party position,” the Rajya Sabha MP had added.

Coronavirus in Delhi: Four AAP MLAs tested positive so far, 2414 more cases on a single day

OpIndia Staff
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Coronavirus in Delhi: Four AAP MLAs tested positive so far, 2414 more cases on a single day

The coronavirus situation in Delhi is getting more dangerous every day. Till now, four Aam Aadmi Party MLAs have tested positive for Wuhan pathogen. Karol Bagh MLA Vishesh Ravi was the first lawmaker from Delhi to test positive for Covid-19 in May, followed by Patel Nagar MLA Rajkumar Anand.

Health Minister Satyendar Jain and spokesperson Atishi Marlena tested positive

On Monday night, Shakur Basti MLA and state Health Minister Satyendar Jain was admitted to the hospital after showing Covid-19 symptoms. In the first test, his results were negative, but the second test results came out positive on Wednesday. Kalkaji MLA Atishi Marlena was also tested positive for Covid-19 infection on Wednesday evening. She became the fourth MLA of AAP to be tested positive. She is currently under home quarantine. A few days back, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was also tested after complaining of fever and sore throat, but he was tested negative.

Jain had recently attended a high-level meeting organized by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan and CM Arvind Kejriwal were also present during that meeting, among others. He had been admitted in Delhi’s Rajiv Gandhi super speciality hospital.

Grim situation of Covid-19 in Delhi

Delhi is amongst the worst-hit states, and the Delhi government’s mismanagement was highlighted multiple times by doctors and patients. Currently, there are 27,741 active cases, and 1,904 persons have already lost their lives in the national capital. On Wednesday alone, Delhi saw a spike of 2414 cases and 67 deaths due to the Wuhan Coronavirus, a record hike in caseload on a single day.

To help boost its crumbling health infrastructure amid rising cases and overwhelmed hospitals, the Delhi government had recently ordered several hotels in the city to place their resources at the disposals of selected Covid-19 dedicated hospitals. All rooms of the Taj Man Singh and the banquet halls of Hotel Surya and Hotel Crown Plaza were to be used as Covid-19 care facilities.

Fact-check: Is Govt of India buying Rs 2.5 lakh ventilator for Rs 4 lakh using PM CARES Fund. Read how Congress ecosystem is spreading misinformation

OpIndia Staff
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Fact-check: Is Govt of India buying Rs 2.5 lakh ventilator for Rs 4 lakh using PM CARES Fund. Read how Congress ecosystem is spreading misinformation

On Tuesday, after the first batch of ventilators procured using the PM CARES fund were made available to hospitals, Congress supporters on Twitter huddled up to spread wild conspiracy theories casting aspersions that there is a ‘ventilator scam’ underway even as India fights Chinese coronavirus as well as soldiers at the border.

One Saket Gokhale was one of the first to float the conspiracy theory. In a seven part thread, Gokhale tweeted how Rs 750+ crore have gone ‘missing’ from the funds allotted for procuring ventilators under the PM CARES fund.

The ventilator model Skanray CV200 procured from Mysuru based Skanray Technologies. Gokhale cast aspersions that since Skanray Technologies is licensed partner for manufacturing Philips ventilators, Skanray is passing off the same ‘Philips CV200’ model as made in India model. He then fished out a ‘price list’ from IndiaMart, an e-commerce portal, for ‘Philips CV200’ model which claimed how it is sold on IndiaMart at Rs 2.5 lakh per unit.

So now, Gokhale does some basic high school math and says how out of the Rs 2,000 crore out of Rs 3,100 crore PM CARES fund allotted for procurement of 50,000 ventilators, government is paying Rs 4,00,000 instead of Rs 2.5 lakh.

Soon, other Congress minions spread the same as gospel truth and claimed how there’s a ‘ventilator scam’ underway.

Pro Aam Aadmi Party writers also thought this is a critical thread. Kothari is the ‘Managing Editor of ‘The Logical Indian’ which started as an Arvind Kejriwal fan page on Facebook.
The Logical Indian Facebook page history.
Soon, many lapped up Gokhale’s fantasy peddled as fact.

Now, before we get into the facts, here’s some little trivia for Gokhale.

IndiaMart price for ventilator

“Philips CV200” which Gokhale claims is the one passed off as Skanray ventilator is actually selling for Rs 11 lakh a piece.

Gokhale’s twitter thread was refuted by the CMD of BEL (Bharat Electronic Limited), a Professional Defence electronics company in India which is a Navaratna defence Public sector under Ministry of Defence, Government of India.

The BEL CMD said how the information peddled in the series of tweets is fabricated as as per their knowledge Philips does not manufacture any such model. “It appears as though a fictitious product under the brand name of Philips is being promoted on virtual marketplace,” he said. At a time when the CMD of the PSU has more crucial things to do than respond to social media warriors, he explained how the CV200 is a high-end ventilator with 2-hour built-in battery backup and has several other safety features.

“The components used for manufacture are from reputed global medical grade components supply-chain partners. CV200 ventilator is priced competitively considering its configuration, features and performance,” he said. The CMD further added that the ventilators bear the PM CARES Fund logo as they are being procured under the fund allocated for the same and the logo ensures its traceability and accountability.

The CMD explained how the DRDO has supported in the development and indigenization of few critical components required for manufacturing large number of ventilators under global lockdown situation amid coronavirus outbreak.

And after all the facts were put before him, Gokhale’s only reason to not believe them is that he was not sure if the Twitter account is indeed of the CMD of BEL and throw around fancy-sounding jargons to let his followers feel how he is smartest thing in the world after Rahul Gandhi.

To sum up, no, government of India did not buy ventilators retailing at Rs 2.5 lakh for Rs 4 lakh. And Rahul Gandhi is smarter than Saket Gokhale.

India elected unopposed to non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council

OpIndia Staff
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India elected unopposed to non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council

In a significant development, India was elected to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as a non-permanent member from the Asia-Pacific category for a two-year term on Wednesday night.

According to the reports, India received overwhelming support as it was elected unopposed as one of the non-permanent members of the UNSC after winning 184 votes in the 193-member General Assembly. The minimum requirement to get elected was 128 votes.

“”I am truly delighted that India has been elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for 2021-22. We have received overwhelming support and we deeply humbled by the tremendous confidence that the member states of the United Nations have reposed in India,” TS Tirumurti, the Indian permanent representative to the UN said in a video-recorded message.

He further added, “India will become a member of the United Nations Security Council at a critical juncture and we are confident than in the COVID- and the post-COVID world India will continue to provide leadership and a new orientation for a reformed multilateral system.”

India wins its eighth term, to begin its term from 2021

India will begin its two-year term on January 1, 2021. This is the eighth time that India will sit at the UN high-table, which comprises five permanent members and 10 non-permanent members.

Earlier, India had served seven times earlier as a non-permanent member of the UNSC in 1950-1951, 1967-1968, 1972-1973, 1977-1978, 1984-1985, 1991-1992 and 2011-2012.

Along with India, Ireland, Mexico and Norway also won the UNSC elections held on Wednesday.

India was endorsed by Asia-Pacific group

Last year, all the countries in the Asia-Pacific Group at the United Nations had unanimously supported India for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council (UNSC) for a two-year term in 2021-22.

The Asia-Pacific Group consists of 55 members states, who was to nominate one of its members for the June 2020 elections to a non-permanent seat on the UNSC. The endorsed members need the vote of two-thirds of the 193 UN General Assembly members to win a non-permanent seat on the UNSC.

The Council is composed of 15 Members, with five nations, USA, Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom being permanent members and ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms by the General Assembly.

BJP led govt in Manipur on the verge of collapse as 9 MLAs withdraw support, including 3 BJP MLAs switching to Congress

OpIndia Staff
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BJP led govt in Manipur on the verge of collapse as 9 MLAs withdraw support, including 3 BJP MLAs switching to Congress

As the country continues its battle against Coronavirus and the defence forces are involved in a highly charged situation with China at the LAC a Ladakh, a new political drama has started in the North Eastern state Manipur. The BJP led government is now looking towards after they lost the support of 9 MLAs.

The N. Biren Singh government faced the crisis after the National People’s Party (NPP) with 4 MLAs withdrew their support to the government. The ministers of the NPP also resigned from the cabinet, including Deputy CM Joykumar Singh. Along with this, three MLAs from BJP also resigned from the party and joined Congress. The lone Trinamool Congress MLA Tongbram Robindro Singh from Thanga, and independent MLA from Jiriban, Ashab Uddin, who were supporting the BJP led government, also withdrew the support, thereby the govt lost the support of 9 MLAs. The BJP MLAs to switch to Congress are Soibam Subhaschandra Singh, TT Haokip and Samuel Jendai.

With this, the strength of the government has reduced to 30 in the house. In the assembly elections in 2017, BJP had won 21 seats, while Congress had emerged as largest party with 28 MLAs but fell short of the majority mark. BJP was able to form the government led by Biren Singh with the support of 4 NPP MLAs, 4 NPF MLAs and one LJP MLA. Later, eight MLAs from Congress had left the party and joined BJP, reducing the Congress total to 20. Subsequently the TMC member and one independent MLA also decided to extend support to the NDA government, and the total strength of the BJP led government was 40 in the state.

In March this year, BJP MLA Thounaojam Shyamkumar was disqualified as a member of the Assembly, who had won the elections on a Congress ticket but joined BJP even before being he was sworn in as a member of the house. The assembly speaker had disqualified him after the Supreme Court had ordered his removal based on a disqualification petition filed by Congress leaders. At present the Andro constituency that he had represented is vacant, and hence the total strength of the house is 59.

After the exit of 3 BJP MLAs, the party has now 25 MLAs, although the CM said that party strength is still 27. The government still has the support of NPF with 4 MLAs and LJP with one MLA. Therefore, the strength of the government remains 30 in the 59-member house.

But earlier in this month, the Manipur High Court had ruled that the remaining 7 former Congress MLAs who had joined BJP, can’t enter the assembly until the petitions for their disqualification are decided by the speaker’s tribunal. Therefore, these seven MLAs can’t vote in the house. This means if a trust vote takes place, BJP will not get their votes, and the party will be reduced to only 22 votes, excluding the speaker. On the other hand, Congress now has 23 MLAs including 3 who defected from BJP, and will get the support of 6 others who left the govt today, giving them 29. This means Congress will more numbers in the house where the total strength will be effectively reduced to 52, as BJP and allies have 27 MLAs now.

But it remains to be seen if the 3 BJP MLAs who joined Congress today are allowed to vote as they are also bound to face disqualification charges. If they are barred, Congress numbers will drop to 26.

‘These actions will have a serious impact on bilateral ties’: S Jaishankar conveys strong message to Chinese foreign minister

OpIndia Staff
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‘These actions will have a serious impact on bilateral ties’: S Jaishankar conveys strong message to Chinese foreign minister

External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar in a telephonic conversation with Chinese Foreign minister Wang Yi on Wednesday conveyed strong protests from the Indian government over the recent aggression by the Chinese military along the LAC in eastern Ladakh. The minister reminded the Chinese counterpart about the Commander level meet at Moldo on June 6 and stated that the Chinese penetration into the Indian borders is the source of the dispute.

In the strongest terms, Dr. S Jaishankar stated that the Chinese side is responsible for the whole dispute due to its premeditated and planned activities that led to violence and casualties on both sides. He asserted that these actions will have a serious effect on India-China bilateral relations.

Dr. S Jaishankar told Wang that it is time for China to reassess its actions and take corrective steps. The two sides should scrupulously and sincerely implement the understanding that was reached by the Senior Commanders on 6th June. Troops of both sides should also abide by the bilateral agreements and protocols. They should strictly respect and observe the Line of Actual Control and should not take any unilateral action to alter it.

the conversation concluded with an agreement that the overall situation will be handled in a responsible manner, and both sides would implement the disengagement understanding of 6 June sincerely. Both sides will ensure peace and tranquillity as per bilateral agreements and protocols.

Prime Minister warns China, said the sacrifice of our soldiers won’t go in vain

While addressing the nation, the Prime minister condoled the death of soldiers who were martyred in the Ladakh standoff with Chinese troops and said that the sacrifice of our soldiers will not go in vain. India wants peace but if instigated, India is capable of giving a befitting reply.

PM Modi said, “I want to assure the country that the sacrifice of our soldiers will not go in vain. For us, the unity and integrity of India are of utmost importance and no one can stop us from protecting it. No one should have any doubt that India wants peace. But, if instigated, India is ready and capable of giving a befitting reply in any manner.”

Ladakh standoff at Galwan Valley

A violent face-off took place between Indian and Chinese troops on the intervening night of 15th and 16th June which led to casualties on both sides. While India has confirmed 20 casualties, the Chinese authorities have not given official figures. However, it is believed that the casualties of Chinese troops would be above 40.

Vile and insensitive: How self-proclaimed comedians ranted against India’s interests during the India-China standoff

OpIndia Staff
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Vile and insensitive: How self-proclaimed comedians ranted against India’s interests during the India-China standoff

Most of the Indian stand-up comedians are characterised by having an extremely poor sense of humour and harbouring pathological hatred for PM Modi, which inevitably extends to their abhorrence for India. For them, ridiculing India is synonymous to mocking PM Modi. Their depravity has no bounds, and they feel no compunction in passing snide remarks at PM Modi, even if that means insulting the supreme sacrifice made by the soldiers manning our borders.

Recently, self-proclaimed comedian Aditi Mittal took to Twitter to trivialise the violent clashes between the Indian and Chinese soldiers in Galwan Valley in Eastern Ladakh. Mittal posted a facetious post on Twitter mocking the deaths of the Indian soldiers in the fierce hand-to-hand combat that took place along the Line of Actual Control.

“The coffins will come back with “PM Cares” stickers on them,” Aditi tweeted about the unfortunate killing of Indian troopers in Ladakh while taking a dig at the PM Cares Fund that is used for combating and containing the coronavirus pandemic as well as in the relief efforts against the coronavirus outbreak and similar pandemic like situations in the future.

Another unfunny comedian who goes by the name ‘Bollywoodgandu’, used the viral image of George Floyd’s death and photoshopped it to depict the India China standoff in Ladakh. The aforementioned comedian photoshopped the image of the white police officer with Chinese premier Xi Jinping’s face while the man who was kneeled upon by the police officer, George Floyd was replaced with PM Modi’s face with the message “I can’t breathe” and uploaded it as his story on Instagram.

Hating on PM Modi for these self-proclaimed comedians is not a new phenomenon and it has been exhibited by many, including politicians, left-leaning activists masquerading as journalists. But what these ungrateful individuals do not realise is while expressing their aversion for PM Modi, they often proceed to disrespect the country and its armed forces who stake their lives on the line to protect the country from enemy misadventures. However, in their bid to take a swipe at PM Modi, these so-called comedians have no qualms in deriding the sacrifices made by the Indian Armed Forces at the frontline.

India-China violent clashes at Galwan Valley

At least 20 Indian soldiers, including Commanding Officer, had attained martyrdom in the violent clashes with the Chinese troopers in Eastern Ladakh’s Galwan Valley, the Indian Army said on Tuesday. The Army had initially claimed that 3 soldiers, including one Commanding Officer, were killed in the skirmishes but later in the evening it revised the figure to 20 saying 17 others had succumbed to their injuries due to the prolonged exposure to sub-zero temperatures.

The killing marks the treachery exhibited the Chinese Army as it violated the disengagement plan agreed upon between the two sides following Lieutenant General level meeting on June 6. A senior government official conversant with the debriefing of survivors at hospitals in Leh revealed that the assault of the Indian soldiers by China’s PLA hit team was premeditated as they had carried iron batons and clubs wrapped in barbed wire to attack the troops of the 16 Bihar Regiment.

Congress drops Sanjay Jha as party spokesperson with immediate effect after he called for political consensus on China issue and criticised the Congress leadership

OpIndia Staff
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Congress drops Sanjay Jha as party spokesperson with immediate effect after he called for political consensus on China issue and criticised the Congress leadership

The Congress party has in a press release informed that Sanjay Jha has been dropped as the AICC spokesperson with immediate effect. The party also confirmed appointing Abhishek Dutt and Sadhna Bharti as the Party’s national media panellists.

It is being speculated that Sanjay Jha’s recent comments against the party leadership might have gone against him. Jha, who is known to be a vocal critic of the Modi government, today took to Twitter and commenting on the recent India China face-off wrote: “This is a time for great mature political consensus within India in responding to China’s dangerous aggression. I don’t care if Mr Modi made several outrageous rhetorical comments against our Congress/UPA government in the past. We must rise. Let’s be different. Let’s be one”.

Knowing Congress party’s abhorrence for Modi and his government, Sanjay Jha’s this Tweet must have definitely irked his party’s high commands who soon after announced his termination from the post of party’s spokesperson.

Sanjay Jha appears to believe that Congress is headed towards “political obsolescence”

Not only this but recently, Congress national spokesperson Sanjay Jha has also openly expressed displeasure over the functioning of the Congress party leadership. Jha, in a damning indictment of his party’s leadership, had said that his party lacks internal democracy and that decision-making powers are limited to Delhi. Jha appears to believe that the party is headed towards “political obsolescence” if it continues to conduct itself in the same manner.

Congress completely disconnected from the ground and is reluctant to change

Speaking to media, Jha had made a series of comments against Congress party leadership which might have gone against him. He had said that Congress has become completely disconnected from the ground and is reluctant to change.

Sanjay Jha had called his party fossilised and reluctunt to change

Sanjay Jha had called his party fossilised, status quoist and reluctant to change. “Congress has had a culture of being one of the more internally vibrant and democratic parties. But that is now gathering dust,” commented Jha.

Raising questions on his own party’s decision-making abilities, Jha rebuked Congress high command for not consulting its spokesperson before banning them from participating in TV debates last year.

“We have moved into a cocooned shell, and withdrawn from gauging the public mood. We sit in Delhi, completely disconnected from the ground,” he added. “This is what has given the party the notorious high command culture,” said Jha speaking to ThePrint.

 

Know your heroes: Read about the soldiers who laid down their lives protecting India against China at Galwan Valley, Ladakh

OpIndia Staff
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Know your heroes: Read about the soldiers who laid down their lives protecting India against China at Galwan Valley, Ladakh

During the de-escalation process underway in the Galwan Valley, a violent face-off took place between India and China on Monday night with casualties on both sides. At least 20 Indian soldiers, including Commanding Officer, had attained martyrdom in the violent clashes with the Chinese troopers in Eastern Ladakh’s Galwan Valley. China has reportedly suffered more than 40 casualties, but there is no confirmation on the same from the Chinese side, although China has accepted that their soldiers also died and injured in the clash. The killing of the Indian soldiers marks the Indian Army’s worst losses since the Kargil War in 1999 and signifies the most intense military combat between India and China since 1967 when India lost around 80 soldiers while over 300 Chinese army personnel were killed in the confrontation.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said India will always remain indebted to its soldiers who lost their lives in Ladakh’s Galwan protecting the country’s territory, and their bravery reflects the commitment towards the motherland. In a series of tweets, Shah said the pain of losing the brave soldiers at Ladakh’s Galwan cannot be put in words, while Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said that the bravery and sacrifice of the soldiers who were martyred in clashes with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will not be forgotten.

A website named jammukashmirnow.com gives us the list of our heroes who laid down their lives upholding the best traditions of Indian armed forces and protecting the sovereignty and integrity of our country.

Colonel Bikumalla Santosh Babu 

Colonel Bikumalla Santosh Babu was martyred in a violent clash on Monday night. The martyred colonel hailed from Hyderabad, Telangana. Martyr Colonel Santosh Babu was in the 16-Bihar Regiment and was posted on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) for the past one and a half years. The colonel was a student of Sainik School Korukonda and had later joined the NDA, followed by IMA. In 15-years, Col Babu had got four promotions. 

Col Santosh’s body will arrive at Shamshabad airport on Wednesday and travel to Suryapet by road, where his last rites will be performed.

Martyr Havildar Palani

Passion and poverty had driven the martyred 40-year-old Indian Army soldier K Palani from Kadukkalur village in Ramanathapuram district to join the armed forces at the age of 18. Palani had been serving the Army for the last 22 years.

Palani was the elder son of the farmer couple Kalimuthu and Logambal at Kadukkalur village in Tiruvadanai taluk of Ramanathapuram district. He is survived by his wife P Vanathi Devi (35) and two children- a son aged 10 and a daughter aged 8. 

The brave havildar had planned to retire from the army next year. Palani’s mortal remains are expected to reach his native village in a couple of days.

Martyr Jawan Kundan Ojha

Sepoy Kundan Ojha hailed from the village of Dihari of Sahibganj district in Jharkhand. Sepoy Kundan was in the Bihar 16 Regiment serving the Indian Army for the last 8 years. Ojha was blessed with a baby girl seventeen days ago. He died even before he could see his daughter.

Kundan is survived by his father, wife and three siblings – two brothers and a sister.

Martyr Naib Subedar Naduram Soren

Naib Subedar Naduram Soren was a resident of Mayurbhanj district of Odisha. After completing Class 12 from Rairangpur College, Soren joined the Army to fulfil his lifelong dream, in 1997, his elder brother Doman Majhi said.

Soren is survived by his wife and three school-going daughters.

“We all feel shattered. Nanduram was an asset for the family as well as the village. He was loved by all for his friendly nature,” his elder brother said.

Martyr Naib Subedar Mandeep Singh

Naib Subedar Mandeep Singh who was killed on the LAC in the Galwan Valley standoff in Ladakh was the sole breadearner of his family comprising of his aging mother, wife and two children. Singh had left his village after a nearly month long holiday only two weeks ago. Administration officials said his body is expected to reach Patiala tomorrow.

Martyr Naib Subedar Satnam Singh

Naib Subedar Satnam Singh who also hailed from Gurdaspur in Punjab state had served the Army for the last 25 years. He is among four soldiers belonging to the state who attained martyrdom.

Martyr Havildar Sunil Kumar 

Havildar Sunil Kumar was a resident of Patna in Bihar.

Martyr Havildar Vipul Rai 

Havildar Vipul Rai was a resident of Meerut city of Uttar Pradesh. Shaheed Vipul Rai was in the army for the past 17 years.

Martyr Nayak Deepak Singh Gaharwar

Nayak Deepak Singh Gaharwar (30) was a resident of from Faranda village in Rewa district of Madhya Pradesh. Deepak Singh was in the army for the last 8 years. About 15 days back, Gaharwar told his family members that he would return when the situation gets back to normal after the Covid-19 lockdown.

His wife, Rekha, works as a teacher at a Navoday school. The couple got married in November last year. Deepak Singh’s elder brother Prakash Singh also serves the Army and is posted at the India-Pak border in Rajasthan.

Martyr Jawan Rajesh Orang

The oldest of three siblings, Rajesh Orang joined the Army in 2015. Subhas, his father, is a marginal farmer in Belgoria village in Mohammedbazar police station area in Birbhum district, of West Bengal. Rajesh’s mother Mamata had been hoping to get him married when he came back on a holiday next. “He came home on leave a few months back and talks were on for his wedding,” she said.

On Monday night, he died of injuries in combat with the Chinese army at Galwan Valley in Ladakh region, his father Subhas was informed.

Martyr Jawan Ganesh Ram Kunjam

Ganesh Ram Kunjam was among the 20 soldiers who laid their lives fighting for India on Monday. Ganesh Ram Kunjam, who belonged to Kutrutola village of Charama block in Kanker district has joined the army in 2011 and was posted in the India China border barely a month ago. Kunjam had decided to join the army soon after his class 12 exams. 

His family was planning his marriage somewhere next year. His family was informed about his death by authorities.

Martyr Chandrakanta Pradhan

Chandrakanta Pradhan belonged to a tribal family, living in Kandhamal district’s Raikia block of Odisha. He had joined the Indian Army in the year 2014. It is being reported that Pradhan had last visited home around two months ago.

Martyr Jawan Ankush Thakur

21-year-old Sepoy Ankush Thakur laid his life fighting for his country. Thakur, a resident of Karohta village in Himachal Pradesh, was posted to the Punjab Regiment in 2018. His father and grandfather had also served in the Indian Army. Thakur has a younger brother who is studying in Class 6.

According to an official spokesperson at Simla, Ankur’s body would be given a state funeral Wednesday.

Martyr Sepoy Gurbinder Singh

The family of Sepoy Gurbinder Singh (22), who attained martyrdom on the Indo-China border in Galwan Valley, were planning his marriage as he had been engaged during his last vacation. 

Gurbinder Singh, a resident of Tolawal village near Sunam was recruited in the army two years ago. He is survived by his parents, an elder brother and a sister.

“We got a call in the morning that Gurbinder has been martyred and his body is likely to reach on Wednesday night or Thursday. People are pouring in. My father and I are finding it tough to keep the news from my mother, who loved her youngest son the most,” Gurpreet Singh, elder brother of Gurbinder, said.

Martyr Sepoy Chandan Kumar

Chandan Kumar was from Bhojpur, Bihar. he had joined the Army three years ago in 2017.

Martyr Sepoy Kundan Kumar

Sepoy Kundan Kumar also hailed from Saharsa town in Bihar. Shaheed Kundan Kumar was in the army for the last 8 years.

Martyr Aman Kumar 

Aman Kumar who hailed from Samastipur district of Bihar was recruited in th Army in 2014.

Martyr Jai Kishore 

Being amognst the 20 soldiers who lost their lives on Monday night, Jai Kishore joined the Army in 2018. He belonged to Vaishali district of Bihar.

Jai Kishore

Martyr Sepoy Ganesh Hansda 

Ganesh Hansda hailed from  East Singhbhum district of Jharkhand. He was recruited in the Army only two years ago.

Martyr Jawan Gutej Singh

Gutej Singh was a resident of Mansa district of Punjab. Shaheed Gurtej was also admitted to the Army in 2018, two years ago.

India pays tribute to the Bravehearts who made the ultimate sacrifice during the violent face-off with China in Galwan Valley on Monday night (15 June). 

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