Earlier on Friday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had convened an all-party meeting to discuss the violence on the India-China border that has taken the relationship between the two countries to a whole new low.
Modi says ‘No Intrusion’ during the meeting
In a meeting that was carried over television, Mr. Modi said: “No one has intruded and nor is anyone intruding, nor has any post been captured by someone.” He was referring to the circumstances in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed in physical combat with the Chinese army at Galwan, Ladakh this week.
However, a few have raised questions regarding Modi’s statements and have called it contradictory, as his government had provided statements that hinted at an intrusion.
Press Note of MEA
The press note of the Ministry of External Affairs issued after external affairs minister S. Jaishankar spoke to his Chinese counterpart, state councilor, and foreign minister Wang Yi said: “Chinese side sought to erect a structure in Galwan valley on our side of the LAC. While this became a source of dispute, the Chinese side took pre-meditated and planned action that was directly responsible for the resulting violence and casualties. It reflected an intent to change the facts on the ground in violation of all our agreements to not change the status quo.”
On June 16th, MEA had said that the “violent face-off” had “happened as a result of an attempt by the Chinese side to unilaterally change the status quo there.”
Both these statements lead to the conclusion the territory in question either falls on the Indian side of the LAC or is in an area where Indian and Chinese claim lines overlap. However, Galwan lies on the Indian side of LAC, which means that there was an intrusion. Hence, as per many, the ‘no intrusion’ claim by Modi seems more damaging than a strategic move.
