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'PM must be mindful of implications of his words': Manmohan Singh on Galwan valley row with China

This is Manmohan Singh's first response on the Galwan valley face-off.

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Former Prime Minister and senior Congress leader Manmohan Singh on Monday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi "must always be mindful of the implications of his words and declarations", an apparent reference to Modi's earlier statement on the LAC row with China at the all-party meet which attracted much controversy.

Manmohan Singh also said that the central government must "rise to the occasion to ensure justice for Colonel B Santosh Babu and our jawans who have made the ultimate sacrifice and resolutely defended our territorial integrity."

To do any less, Singh said, would be a "historic betrayal of the people's faith" as he insisted that the Centre must not be cowed down by "threats and intimidation" in dealing with the neighbour nor permitting “compromise with our territorial integrity".

This is Manmohan Singh's first response on the Galwan valley face-off. 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.

 

 

Prime Minister Modi had, after the all-party meeting on Friday, said that Chinese troops did not intrude into the Indian territory. The statement was instantly capitalized upon by the opposition, led by the Congress, which insisted that the Prime Minister clarified his statement because that would raise questions regarding the face-off.

Rahul Gandhi has been posting regularly on Twitter about the face-off in Ladakh. Earlier last week, he had posted from his official handle on the microblogging website, "PM has surrendered Indian territory to Chinese aggression. If the land was Chinese: Why were our soldiers killed? Where were they killed?"

This attracted the ire of several in the BJP leadership and officials of the central government. The Prime Minister's Office even took out a statement on this day clarifying Prime Minister Modi's earlier remarks at the all-party meet yesterday on the LAC row with China at the Galwan valley in Ladakh.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said, “At this moment, we stand at historic crossroads. Our Government’s decisions and actions will have serious bearings on how future generations perceive us. Those who lead us to bear the weight of a solemn duty. 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 added, “China is brazenly and illegally seeking to claim parts of Indian territory such as the Galwan Valley and the Pangong Tso Lake by committing multiple incursions between April 2020 to date. We cannot and will not be cowed down by threats and intimidation nor permit a compromise with our territorial integrity. The Prime Minister cannot allow them to use his words as a vindication of their position and must ensure that all organs of the government work together to tackle this crisis and prevent it from escalating further.”

"Disinformation is no substitute for diplomacy or decisive leadership. The truth cannot be suppressed by having pliant allies spout comforting but false statements. We call upon the Prime Minister and the Government to rise to the occasion, to ensure justice for Col. B. Santosh Babu and our jawans who have made the ultimate sacrifice and resolutely defended our territorial integrity. To do any less would be a historic betrayal of the people’s faith,” noted Dr. Singh, the two-time former Prime Minister.

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