A statement from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police chief that the “face-off” with China was continuing in Arunachal Pradesh left the Narendra Modi government facing questions on Friday about its record on national security and alleged failure to stand up to Beijing.
The Congress asked the Prime Minister whether India’s patrolling areas had been compromised in Arunachal as they reportedly had in Ladakh, highlighted what it saw as his government’s kowtowing to China, and wondered whether Beijing had something on him.
The comments by Shatrujeet Kapur, director-general of the ITBP which guards the Chinese frontier, came after months of reports about alleged Chinese incursions in Arunachal, which Beijing claims as its own territory.
“In Arunachal, a situation developed such that there was a face-off in many places, which is still going on. Over there our Shaurya commando teams have performed very well,” Kapur said at his force’s annual investiture ceremony at Alwar, Rajasthan, on Thursday.
Rajya Sabha Opposition leader and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge put several questions to Modi on X.
“After Doklam (in Sikkim) and Galwan (in Ladakh), is another serious confrontation unfolding? Reports of Chinese incursions near Taksing (in Arunachal) emerged in August,” Kharge posted.
“Yet, even 47 days after Corps Commander-level talks at Wacha-Damai, reportedly just 180km away, confrontations continue. Has India’s patrolling access been compromised?”
The Wacha-Damai talks were held early last month amid reports that the Chinese had transgressed the Line of Actual Control and blocked Indian troops’ access to key patrolling points at Taksing in Upper Subansiri district of Arunachal.
Kharge referred to the death of 20 Indian soldiers in the June 2020 clash with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley, Ladakh, and suggested that India’s response to China had continued to be weak.
“Since Galwan sacrifice of 20 Indian Army bravehearts, (FY2020-21), Chinese imports have surged 102%, while India’s trade deficit with China has ballooned 155% to $112.16 billion,” Kharge posted.
“Even Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman admits China obstructs Indian exports. Yet, the Government is easing Chinese investment restrictions and considering PLI benefits for eligible China-linked ventures. Has Make in India become Import from China?”
Kharge added: “At least 23 reported Modi-Xi meetings and interactions, 25 Special Representatives’ rounds involving NSA Ajit Doval, 36 WMCC meetings, and successive SCO and BRICS Summits. What tangible results have these engagements delivered? Have India’s pre-May 2020 patrolling rights been fully restored?”
“WMCC” stands for the “Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs”.
Four days after the Galwan clash, Modi had said there was no intrusion, allowing Beijing to claim ownership of all the territory it held in the region.
Congress publicity head and MP Pawan Khera told reporters that the Prime Minister was “‘Narendra’ by name, ‘Surrender’ by nature”.
“This has been proven once again today…. This is not the first time, even during a previous conference of DGPs, it was pointed out that we have lost control over 26 out of 65 patrolling points (in eastern Ladakh),” Khera said.
This revelation had come in a research paper presented at the annual conference of police bosses in New Delhi in January 2023.
“You (Modi) visited China four times when you were (Gujarat) CM. Why did you go? Lift the veil on this mystery! After that, you visited six more times since becoming PM. In total, you have met with them 23 or 24 times,” Khera said.
“You did not raise the issue of Ladakh even once. You did not raise the issue of Arunachal even once. We keep yielding, keep backing down, and just lying flat. What are you afraid of? What kind of secrets of yours dothey hold?”
Many retired generals have rued India’s continuing silence on the restoration of the border status quo in Ladakh. They have questioned India’s agreement to having “buffer zones” in Ladakh — with both armies retreating by an equal distance — saying this amounted to ceding further territory to the Chinese.
Khera accused the Centre of getting bullied by both the US and China.
“There are two power centres: China and the United States. We get beaten by both sides — like a child who gets scolded by their mother, runs to their grandmother, gets scolded by her too, and then runs back to the mother,” he said.
“And if both scold us, well, there’s always the ‘fatherland’ — Israel. So, we end up in the lap of the ‘fatherland’. Look at the state we’ve reduced ourselves to!
Khera added: “Why don’t you take us all on a visit to Arunachal? The entire Opposition is prepared to join you on this. You choose which Opposition leaders — feel free to include someone from our party as well, the choice is yours — and take us along to Arunachal.
“Let us visit Arunachal Pradesh and see for ourselves. Let the home minister come, and bring along our other allies from the INDIA alliance as well. We will ask you about the patrol points, sir.”
Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke said on X: “Can’t even show the laal aankh (angry red eyes) to China anymore. Can’t even speak up in front of (US President Donald) Trump. So at home, by beating the kids, you get that strong leader vibe, oh great man.”
He seemed to be alluding to the deployment of thousands of central forces, including the ITBP, in Delhi to quell the youth-led protests against exam and electoral fraud.
‘Misunderstanding’
Asked about the ITBP chief’s comments, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal seemed to play down the notion of Chinese aggression, referring to “outstanding” border issues, “misunderstanding” and“miscalculation”.
“Insofar as the specifics are concerned, I would refer you to the ministry of defence,” Jaiswal said at his ministry’s weekly briefing.
“As we have noted in the past, the situation in the India-China border areas gets disturbed from time to time when Chinese forces diverge from established patrolling patterns.
“Both sides continue to use existing diplomatic and military mechanisms to resolve outstanding issues and avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation along the Line of Actual Control.
“The two sides have also agreed to discuss ways to improve understanding of LAC in appropriate areas for better border management.
“I would also like to emphasise that the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas is essential for the overall development of bilateralrelations.”
On claims that Iranian aircraft had been denied airspace clearance, Jaiswal said: “We have and continue to facilitate transport of lifesaving medicines to Iran. As you are aware, the ongoing conflict in the region has posed new challenges to the flight connectivity between our twocountries.
“We continue to be in communication with our Iranian counterparts to facilitate transportation of lifesaving medicines as a humanitarian gesture.”