Defence Ministry smashes Cong's 'India at disadvantage' lie over LAC, rakes up 1962

In a beffiting reply to Congress leer Rahul Gandhi, Ministry of Defence on Friday gave elaborate clarifications on questions raised by Wayan MP over disengment process at LAC. Taking te of "some misinformed and misleing comments" over disengment, Ministry deemed it necessary "to set record straight and counter certain instances of wrongly understood information being amplified in media and social media."

After Defence Minister Rajnath Singh apprised Parliament on Thursday over disengment process, Congress h cast aspersion on disengment process by alleging that 'India is at disvant'. Moreover, while dressing a press conference on Friday, Rahul Gandhi me wild allegations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "ceded Indian territories to Chinese".

Rahul Gandhi's wild accusations

dressing a press conference, Rahul Gandhi said, "We find that Indian troops are w going to be stationed at Finger 3. Finger 4 is our territory where our post used to be. So w we have moved from finger 4 to finger 3. Why has Prime Minister Modi given our territory to Chinese? This is a question that needs to be answered by him and defence minister."

"Why have Chinese t moved back from Depsang plains and Gogra? Prime Minister has given Indian territory to China. He has bent down in front of China. It is his lookout how he takes it back," Rahul Gandhi ded.

Defence Ministry sets record straight

Giving an elaborate reply to doubts raised by Congress, Defence Ministry said, " assertion that Indian territory is upto Finger 4 is categorically false. territory of India is as depicted by map of India and includes more than 43,000 sq km currently under illegal occupation of China since 1962."

"Even Line of Actual Control (LAC), as per Indian perception, is at Finger 8, t at Finger 4. That is why India has persistently maintained right to patrol upto Finger 8, including in current understanding with China," statement ded.

"Permanent posts of both sides at rth bank of Pangong Tso are longstanding and well-established. On Indian side, it is Dhan Singh Thapa Post near Finger 3 and on Chinese side, east of Finger 8. current agreement provides for cessation of forward deployment by both sides and continued deployment at se permanent posts," statement appended while ding that India has t conceded any territory as a result of this agreement and on contrary, it has enforced observance and respect for LAC and prevented any unilateral change in status quo.

Ministry reiterated that pending issues including Hot Springs, Gogra and Depsang will be taken up within 48 hours of  Pangong Tso disengment.

Ministry affirmed that "effective safeguarding of our national interest and territory in Eastern Lakh sector has taken place because Government has reposed full faith in capabilities of armed forces. Slamming naysayers for doubting disengment protocols,  Ministry stated that those doubting  achievements of armed forces are actually disrespecting m.

RE | LAC Disengment Begins From South Pangong Tso Area After Indo-China Agreement, Video Out

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Rajnath Singh in LS: 't one inch lost'

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh briefed Lok Sabha about agreements between both nations. Asserting that India has t allowed 'anyone to take an inch of land', he said that India will remain at ir permanent base at Dhan Singh Thapa Post near Finger 3 and China at rth Bank area to east of Finger 8, with similar action agreed to in South Bank area. He said that re are still some outstanding issues with regard to deployment and patrolling at some or points along LAC. India and China have also agreed to remove any structures that h been built by both sides since April 2020 in both rth and South Bank areas, restoring landforms as per status quo prior to it.

Indian Army has also released a video of disengment process ongoing at LAC on Thursday. Visuals from region show a formal meeting between military commanders of both sides, agreeing to disengment - shaking hands. Moreover, Chinese Army's three heavy tanks are seen retreating from area, while one Indian Army tank is also seen retreating from area. India and China have held nine rounds of military-level talks for de-escalation and disengment at LAC after violent faceoff between two armies at Galwan, leing to martyrdom of 20 Indian Army Jawans and over 40 Chinese army soldiers, as per international reports.

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