China changed own position, 'hindered' traditional patrolling along LAC by India: MEA

MEA spokesman Anurag Srivastava in a point by point rebuttal to China and to all those including Congress leaders who tried to trigger a new row said: "Subsequently in mid-May, the Chinese side attempted to transgress the LAC in other areas of the Western Sector of the India-China border areas. These attempts were invariably met with an appropriate response from us. Thereafter, the two sides were engaged in discussions through established diplomatic and military channels to address the situation arising out of Chinese activities on the LAC".

PM Narendra Modi has emphasized that in contrast to the past "neglect of such challenges", Indian forces now decisively counter any violations of LAC (“unhe rokte hain, unhe tokte hain”). 

China changed own position, 'hindered' traditional patrolling along LAC by India: MEA

PM has emphasized that in contrast to the past "neglect of such challenges", Indian forces now decisively counter any violations of LAC (“unhe rokte hain, unhe tokte hain”). 

New Delhi: 

A day after Chinese side tried to give a new spin to the entire LAC row, India on Saturday accused

Beijing of "hindering" India's normal, traditional patrolling pattern and maintained that China's new

stance on LAC is not in accordance with "China’s own position in the past".

"Since early May 2020, the Chinese side has been hindering India's normal, traditional patrolling pattern,"

MEA spokesman Anurag Srivastava said in reply to media queries.

He said: "Attempts by the Chinese side to now advance exaggerated and untenable claims with regard to 

Line of Actual Control (LAC) there are not acceptable. They are not in accordance with China’s own position 

in the past". 

New Delhi's response come in reply to queries on the statement issued  by the Chinese foreign ministry 

spokesperson on June 19 late night on the events in the Galwan valley area.

"The position with regard to the Galwan Valley area has been historically clear," Mr Srivastava said.

"Indian troops are fully familiar with the alignment of the LAC in all sectors of the India-China border areas, including in the Galwan Valley. They abide by it scrupulously here, as they do elsewhere. The Indian side has never undertaken any actions across the LAC. In fact, they have been patrolling this area for a long time without any incident.  All infrastructure built by the Indian side is naturally on its own side of the LAC," he said.

The MEA statement has its own significance as Chinese said on Friday night in their new and bizarre attempt tried

to blame India for the fresh tension.

Earlier in the day, PMO issued a statement trying to put to rest any confusion vide 'misinterpretation' of Prime

Minister Narendra Modi's statement at the all-party meet on Friday that there was no incursion from Chinese side into

Indian land.

"What is Indian territory is clear from the map of India. This Government is strongly and resolutely committed to that. Insofar as there is some illegal occupation, the All Party Meeting was briefed in great detail how over the last 60 years, more than 43,000 sq.km has been yielded under circumstances with which this country is well aware. It was also made clear that this Government will not allow any unilateral change of the LAC," the PMO statement said.

The PMO also maintained that attempts are being made in "some quarters" to give a "mischievous interpretation" to 

remarks by the Prime Minister at the All-Party Meeting yesterday.

"Prime Minister was clear that India would respond firmly to any attempts to transgress the Line of Actual Control (LAC). In fact, he specifically emphasized that in contrast to the past neglect of such challenges, Indian forces now decisively counter any violations of LAC (“unhe rokte hain, unhe tokte hain”)," the statement said.

The all party meeting was also informed that this time, Chinese forces have come in much larger strength to the LAC and that the Indian response is commensurate. 

"As regards transgression of LAC, it was clearly stated that the violence in Galwan on 15 June arose because Chinese side was seeking to erect structures just across the LAC and refused to desist from such actions," the PMO said.

"The focus of the PM’s remarks in the APM discussions were the events of 15 June at Galwan that led to the loss of lives of 20 Indian military personnel," the statement from PMO said on an issue which Congress leaders also tried to misinterpret

and tried to find fault with Mr Modi.

MEA spokesman said since early May this year the Chinese side has been hindering India's normal, traditional patrolling pattern in this area. 

"This had resulted in a face-off which was addressed by the ground commanders as per the provisions of the bilateral agreements and protocols. We do not accept the contention that India was unilaterally changing the status quo. On the contrary, we were maintaining it," he said. 

MEA spokesman in a point by point rebuttal said: "Subsequently in mid-May, the Chinese side attempted to transgress the LAC in other areas of the Western Sector of the India-China border areas. These attempts were invariably met with an appropriate response from us. Thereafter, the two sides were engaged in discussions through established diplomatic and military channels to address the situation arising out of Chinese activities on the LAC".

He further pointed out that the Senior Commanders met on June 6, 2020 and agreed on a process for de-escalation and disengagement along the LAC that involved reciprocal actions. 

"Both sides had agreed to respect and abide by the LAC and not undertake any activity to alter the status quo. However, the Chinese side departed from these understandings in respect of the LAC in the Galwan Valley area and sought to erect structures just across the LAC. When this attempt was foiled, Chinese troops took violent actions on 15 June 2020 that directly resulted in casualties," the MEA spokesman said. 

He also said External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and the Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi had a conversation on June 17, 2020 wherein EAM conveyed "our protest in the strongest terms on the events leading up to and on the violent face-off 

on 15 June 2020". 

India has firmly rejected the "unfounded allegations" made by the Chinese side and the "misrepresentation" of the understandings reached between the Senior Commanders. 

He also underlined that it was for China to reassess its actions and take corrective steps.

The two Ministers also agreed that the overall situation would be handled in a responsible manner, and that both sides would implement the disengagement understanding of 6 June sincerely. The two sides are in regular touch and early meetings of military and diplomatic mechanisms are currently being discussed, he said.

"We expect that the Chinese side will sincerely follow the understanding reached between the Foreign Ministers to ensure peace and tranquility in the border areas, which is so essential for the overall development of our bilateral relations," MEA spokesman

added.

ends