PM Modi's remark on India-China conflict along LAC left everyone baffled, bewildered: Congress leader P Chidambaram

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said on Saturday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remark on the India-China clashes at Galwan valley in Eastern Ladakh has left practically everyone baffled and bewildered as his statement contradicted that of the armed forces of India and the foreign minister. It is to be noted that PM Modi in his address to the nation yesterday said that the Chinese troops did not intruded into India's border or has any post been taken over by them. 

"At the end of the meeting, the Prime Minister made his concluding remarks. These remarks have left practically everyone baffled and bewildered. The PM said no outsider was inside Indian territory in Ladakh," Chidambaram said in a press conference here.He said that Modi`s statement contradicted the earlier statements made by the Chief of Army Staff, the Defence Minister, and the Foreign Minister."If the Prime Minister`s statement reflects the correct position, we would like to ask the government a few questions. If no Chinese troops had crossed the LAC and are in Indian territory, what was the face-off on May 5-6," Chidambaram said.

"We would also like to ask that if no Chinese troops were inside Indian territory, where did the clashes take place on June 15-16? Where were 20 Indian soldiers killed and 85 injured?" he added.
 
This comes as tension at the LAC with China are high after 20 Indian Army personnel were killed in a violent face-off with the Chinese troops in the Galwan valley amid de-escalation talks.

Chidambaram said that once the Indian Prime Minister makes the statement that there are no Chinese on Indian territory, he has to define what Indian territory is.

"The Chinese claim has been consistent with what they have been claiming for the last few weeks, it is the Indian position as articulated by the Prime Minister that has come as a total shock. That is why we have asked pointed questions, now that China is claiming the entire Galwan valley, do you reject this claim or not," the former union minister asked urging the Central government to reject the Chinese claim today itself.

He said if the Government of India does not reject the claim of the Chinese today, it can have "terrible consequences".

The Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian in a statement issued on Saturday claimed that that the disputed Galwan Valley area is located towards the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and accused the Indian troops of 'unilaterally' building roads, bridges, and other facilities at the spot. 

Moreover, Chidambaram said that India must continue to be part of the global supply chain & not boycott Chinese goods.

"We must become self-reliant as much as possible but we can't decouple with the rest of the world. India must continue to part of the global supply chain & not boycott Chinese goods. What part of Chinese trade with India is China's world trade? It's a fraction," Chidamabaram said.

"So boycotting Chinese goods will not hurt the China's economy. We should not bring issues like boycott when we are discussing very grave matters like the defence of India," he added.

(With ANI inputs)