Concern in Rajya Sabha over reports of Chinese presence in Gilgit

Expressing concern over reports of presence of Chinese troops in Gilgit-Baltistan region in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, a BJP member today wanted to know the steps India was taking to ensure safety and security of the nation.Raising the matter during Zero Hour, Ramdas Agarwal referred to reports in New York Times about the influx of an estimated 7,000 to 11,000 soldiers of the Chinese People's Liberation Army in strategic Gilgit-Baltistan region."I want to ask the government how intelligence agencies failed to know about this development? Has the system collapsed that it was not aware of Chinese soldiers having reached PoK," he asked.Agarwal said that at the recent Shanghai Expo, Chinese authorities took away from the Indian pavilion brochures whichbore the map of India. "They objected to Arunachal Pradeshbeing shown as part of India in the map," he said.He said it was "strange" that the government has not reacted to the development, even when Beijing has refused permission to a senior Indian Army official to visit China. "I want to know will 1962 be repeated? When will our eyes open?," Agarwal asked, amidst shouts of "shame, shame" fromthe Opposition benches.