Centre is learnt to have told Research and Analysis Wing, Director General of Military Operations and the state for reports.
NEW DELHI: Despite its initial reluctance to publicly accept the Chinese incursion in Arunachal Paradesh, the Centre on Wednesday is learnt to have asked the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) and the Arunachal government to present confidential reports on the status in the ‘disputed territory’.
The reports are believed to have been submitted on Wednesday evening.
DNA’s report on Monday about the incursion raised a furore and the government came under heavy criticism from the Opposition. Officially, the government has not admitted any intrusion, but it has not denied it clearly either.
Minister of State for Defence MM Pallam Raju said there was no incursion and explained that the area in question is “disputed territory”.
The state police had sent a report on the matter in 2005 after the Centre asked for it.
The government’s response evoked criticism not only from the Opposition but also from two former foreign ministers. Former defence minister KC Pant was baffled that the government had not come out with a strong denial. Former external affairs minister Yashwant Sinha said “this was hardly the way to respond.
There was no statement from the government in Parliament and no response from the external affairs ministry, which should have followed when MPs raised the issue.”
The responses came from the 4 Corps commander, a field army officer, Defence Secretary Shekhar Dutt, and Minister of State for Defence Raju. Neither Dutt nor Raju denied Chinese presence in the area in question. However, Sinha went on to add, “the army officials admit the Chinese presence in hushed conversations, but for obvious reasons they will not accept it formally.”
While Dutt’s contention that it was a part of an understanding with the Chinese to share some areas, the same was rejected by security experts and Sinha. Raju’s statement was seen as a watering down of India’s stand so far as the area in its control was concerned.
An analyst and former Indian Foreign Service officer Bhadra Kumar, however, agreed with the term used by Raju. He said, “the two countries are having talks to resolve a border dispute and the statement merely reflects this fact.”
He said a formal statement from the government on the matter would be a serious matter and taken as stating its position. “It would have political and diplomatic implications. Hence there is nothing wrong in the government letting the response come from field officers or other officials,” he said.
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