Rationale behind China’s overtures
China recently invited journalists from a select media network to Beijing, entertained them, and arranged interactions with select officials who parroted the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) line on Indo-China ties.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday hit out at Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Brigadier BD Mishra (retd) for his reaction on Rahul Gandhi’s China-occupied land statement.
LG Mishra had claimed earlier that not an inch of land has been occupied by the Chinese in Ladakh. Baghel took a jibe at the LG’s statement and asked on what basis the LG is saying it is beyond anyone’s understanding adding that nowadays “everything is visible through satellite”.
“It has been continuously said that China has encroached on India’s border and grabbed land. On what basis the Lieutenant Governor is saying this is beyond our understanding…but this news is making rounds continuously and nowadays everything is visible through satellite,” CM Baghel told reporters.
Referring to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s “China occupied our land” remark, LG Mishra said that there is not one square foot of land that the Chinese have occupied today in Ladakh.
“Our armed forces’ morale is high at LAC, nobody can dare to come to India with any design to have a foothold in Ladakh. Rahul Gandhi claimed that China has occupied Indian land during his recent visit to Ladakh. I will clarify what is the fact, I have seen myself, that there is not one square foot of land that the Chinese have occupied today. We have occupied our land to the last inch,” LG Mishra said.
Earlier in August, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hit out at the Centre, saying that the BJP’s claim that not an inch of Indian land was taken by China’s People Liberation Army (PLA) troops “is not true”.
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The Congress MP claimed that locals, too, contend that Indian territory was intruded upon and taken by the Chinese troops, adding that it was a matter of concern.
Speaking to reporters, the Congress leader said, “The locals here are concerned about China taking our land. They have said that the Chinese troops took away their grazing land. However, the PM says not an inch of land was taken away. This is not true, you can ask anyone here.”
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