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Agencies

Mismatch between what China says and does: Rajnath Singh in Rajya Sabha
17-September-2020

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today made a statement in the Rajya Sabha on the border row with China in eastern Ladakh. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on June 15, Col Santosh Babu, along with his 19 brave soldiers, made the supreme sacrifice in Galwan Valley towards the cause of defending the territorial integrity of India. Our prime minister himself went to Ladakh to boost the morale of forces, he added.

Speaking further, the defence minister said, "China continues to be in illegal occupation of approx 38,000 sq. kms in the Union Territory of Ladakh."

The status quo along the LAC with its provocative military manoeuvres late last month and that there is a mismatch between what Beijing says and does, Rajnath Singh said.

"In addition, under the so-called Sino-Pakistan 'Boundary Agreement' of 1963, Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq. km. of Indian territory in PoK to China," Rajnath Singh said.

China also claims approximately 90,000 sq. kms. of Indian territory in the Eastern Sector of the India-China boundary in Arunachal Pradesh, the defence minister said.

"China does not accept the customary and traditional alignment of the boundary between India and China. We believe that this alignment is based on well-established geographical principles confirmed by treaties & agreements, as well as historical usage and practice," Rajnath Singh said.

"Conduct of our armed forces throughout these incidents shows that while they maintained 'Sayyam' in face of provocative actions, they also equally displayed 'Shaurya' when required to protect the territorial integrity of India," the Defence Minister said in Rajya Sabha.


Singh had already made a statement in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, saying Beijing has been very clearly conveyed that any attempt to "unilaterally" change the status quo along the Line of Actual Control is not at all acceptable and that India's armed forces are ready to deal with "all contingencies" in the high-altitude region.

At the meeting on Wednesday, the Opposition demanded that the three bills related to the agriculture sector be referred to committees of either Houses for detailed scrutiny.

Opposition parties were in agreement on passing mainly all other bills barring the three bills related to agriculture, the sources said.

The government had on Monday introduced The Farmers' Produce Trade And Commerce (Promotion And Facilitation) Bill, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill to replace the ordinances promulgated earlier.

The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill was passed by the Lower House on Wednesday amid objections by NDA ally Shiromani Akali Dal and various opposition parties.

The government and the opposition agreed for a discussion on GST, economy and National Education Policy-2020, the sources said.