NEW DELHI: In his first remarks on the China-India face-off in Ladakh, India’s former prime minister Manmohan Singh on Monday said PM Narendra Modi must be mindful of the implications of his words and cannot allow China to use them as a vindication of its position, international media reported.
Noting that disinformation is no substitute for diplomacy or decisive leadership, Singh called upon Modi to ensure justice for soldiers who died defending India's territorial integrity.
"To do any less would be a historic betrayal of people's faith," he said in a statement. Noting that the country is standing at the historic cross-roads, he said the government's decisions and actions will have serious bearings on how the future generations perceive us.
"Those who lead us bear the weight of a solemn duty," he said. "And in our democracy that responsibility rests with the office of the prime minister. The prime minister must always be mindful of the implications of his words and declarations on our nation's security as also strategic and territorial interests," he said in a statement on the standoff with China in Ladakh.
Twenty Indian Army personnel were killed in a brutal attack by the Chinese military in eastern Ladakh's Galwan Valley on June 15.
Later, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president JP Nadda criticised Manmohan Singh and the Congress party and said they should stop repeatedly insulting the security forces and questioning their valour.
In a message posted on Twitter, Nadda said, “Please stop insulting of forces repeatedly, questioning their valour. You did this post the air strikes and surgical strikes. Please understand the true meaning of national unity, especially in such times. It’s never too late to improve.”
In another message the hardline ruling part BJP president claimed that during the Congress’ tenure, Singh as the Prime Minister abjectly surrendered hundreds of square kilometre of Indian land to China. He also alleged that Singh presided over 600 incursions made by China between 2010 to 2013.
Meanwhile, India will press Russia to consider expediting the delivery of the S-400 Triumf anti-missile system during defence minister Rajnath Singh’s three-day visit to Russia that started on Monday. The urgency comes amid heightened tensions along the India-China border.
Moscow is believed to have delayed delivery of the $5.4-billion system to December 2021 due to COVID-19 constraints. India had completed large payments for the system last year.
China, which also enjoys strong defence ties with Russia, has already acquired the S-400 system from its northern neighbour and this fact may have added to India’s concerns. Besides, sources said, armed forces have been told to be ready for all eventualities.
Meanwhile, barely four days after the Upper House of Nepal’s parliament endorsed a new political map for the country incorporating Indian territories, Kathmandu has once again contested its international border with India and this time the area of contention happens to be Nepal border with Bihar.
Nepalese authorities stop the officials of Water Resources Department (WRD) of Bihar government from carrying out embankment-related work on the border, claiming the area as part of its territory.
The officials of Bihar government said that they were not allowed by Nepalese authorities from carrying out fortification of an embankment on Lal Bakey River in Bihar's East Chamaparn district.
The new map passed by Nepal's National Assembly shows Indian territories such as Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura in Uttarakhand as part of Nepalese territory.
Meanwhile, residents of villages in Indian state of Uttarakhand bordering Nepal that can catch the frequency of radio stations in neighbouring Nepal are being treated to a sudden surfeit of anti-India songs that call for return of areas in Uttarakhand like Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura that have been included in Kathmandu’s new map. These songs, mostly played on FM channels between news bulletins and other shows, don’t fail to taunt Nepalese politicians for “not doing enough to get back the land that belongs to Nepal.”
