The government strongly objected to the misinformation in the media and its amplification on social media regarding the disengagement of Indian and Chinese troops after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claimed on Friday that India has ceded territory to China as part of the process.
China and India began their synchronised disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh on Thursday, bringing to an end the nine-month-long standoff between the two Asian giants.
However, sections of the media claimed that India has ceded the territory between Finger 3 and 4 in the Pangong Lake area, which was a point of contention between the two sides since last year.
Rahul Gandhi cited the same, saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has let down the country and the armed forces in front of the ‘Dragon’. While addressing a press conference in Delhi at the AICC headquarters, the Congress leader said that the Indian forces used to be operational at Finger 4 and used to do patrolling from 4 to 8, but during disengagement, India will now be limited to Finger 3, showing that the present government has negotiated the deal by moving back.
In a statement, the Ministry of Defence described this assertion that Indian territory in Ladakh is up to Finger 4 as “categorically false”, reiterating that the factual position has already been clearly communicated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in his statements to both Houses of the Parliament.
Setting the record straight, the ministry also said the territory of India is as depicted by the map of India and includes more than 43,000 sq km which has been under illegal occupation of China since 1962. Even the Line of Actual Control as per Indian perception is at Finger 8, not at Finger 4, it said. “That is why India has persistently maintained the right to patrol up to Finger 8, including in the current understanding with China,” the statement explained.
The ministry also added that permanent posts of both sides at the north bank of Pangong Tso are longstanding and well-established. On the Indian side, it is Dhan Singh Thapa Post near Finger 3, and on the Chinese side, east of Finger 8, the ministry informed.
The current agreement, the ministry said, provides for the cessation of forward deployment by both sides and continued deployment at these permanent posts.
Rahul Gandhi also said that India had an advantage while its forces were placed at the Kailash range and it was a strategic location on its side but the government decided to leave that point under Chinese pressure. He asked the Prime Minister to speak on the current situation at the Depsang and Pangong lakes, which are still in the dark.
The Defence Ministry’s statement made clear that there are outstanding problems to be addressed, including at Hot Springs, Gogra and Depsang, but “the outstanding issues are to be taken up within 48 hours of the completion of the Pangong Tso disengagement.”
“The effective safeguarding of our national interest and territory in the Eastern Ladakh sector has taken place because the Government has reposed full faith in the capabilities of the armed forces,” the statement said.
The government further asserted that India has not conceded any territory as a result of this agreement. “On the contrary, it has enforced observance and respect for LAC and prevented any unilateral change in the status quo,” said the Defence Ministry.
On being asked why the Congress did not raise these issues in Parliament, Rahul Gandhi replied, “We had wanted to speak but were denied.”
The Congress leader has been critical of the government regarding issues related to China and has been cornering the government on matters of national security. However, the ministry’s statement added, “Those who doubt the achievements made possible by the sacrifices of our military personnel are actually disrespecting them.”