Rajnath Singh spoke at the Lok Sabha about the confrontation between India and China on Tuesday. (Proceedings)
New Delhi:
Questions from the opposition in parliament about the India-China tension in Ladakh are expected to be answered by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday, with the government finally agreeing to clarify in a session that has been an uproar over reducing opportunities for discussion.
Singh is expected to speak in the Rajya Sabha upper house around noon about what the government calls China’s provocation along the de facto border between the two countries called the Royal Line of Control or the response from LAC and India.
The defense minister spoke on the issue at the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, saying that India is “very serious on sovereignty issues” and that the country is prepared for “all contingencies” to ensure it remains.
Detailing a key meeting between him and his Chinese counterpart at the Russia-hosted Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting, Singh said he made it clear that India wants to resolve this issue peacefully and “wants the Chinese side to work with us “. But “there should also be no doubt about our determination to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India,” Singh told parliament when it resumed after more than five months.
Repeated congressional attacks on the issue made it a main topic for a government statement when parliament resumed for the monsoon session on Monday.
However, the government’s refusal to discuss after the minister’s statement, in view of the “sensitivity” of the matter, led to a congressional strike.
The party, which had repeatedly demanded that the government explain the “real situation” in Ladakh, carried posters on Tuesday saying: “We want a discussion on China and the prime minister must respond.”
As the president refused to allow the party leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Chowdhury to speak, the members of Congress organized a strike to register their protest.
The confrontation with China had escalated rapidly and on June 15, 20 Indian soldiers died in the line of duty, the first time in more than four decades. Even after that, there have been repeated attempts by Chinese troops to regain the heights occupied by Indian soldiers.
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