Mehbooba Mufti quotes Chinese report claiming LAC row 'result of Article 370 abrogation'

Even as the Indian government has issued several statements saying that tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) are under control and the Chinese government said that "positive consensus" has been reached, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti's daughter (on her behalf) raised abrogation of Article 370. Taking to Twitter on Saturday, Mufti quoted a report by Beijing think-tank that connected the recent tensions along the LAC with the abrogation of Article 370. 

Jumping the guns, even as there has not been any such statement by the Chinese government, Mufti wrote that the 'unilateral decision' to revoke Article 370 has resulted in 'serious geo-strategic implications.' She went on to say that India has complicated the issue of Jammu and Kashmir even more as now China has also demanded the restoration of Article 370.

The report Mufti quoted said that the abrogation of Article 370 'posed a challenge to the sovereignty of Pakistan and China'. Reportedly, the article is authored by Wang Shida, Deputy Director of the Institute of South Asian Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations. Wang Shida in the report also claimed that China haad opposed India's decision to abrogate Article 370. However, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had made it clear that it is India's internal matter. 

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India-China border tensions

This comes hours after Chief of Army Staff Major General MM Naravane said that situation along the LAC is under control. He also said that 'a lot of disengagement has taken place' and that continuous dialogue will solve the 'perceived differences between both the countries'.

India and China held Corps Commander level talks on June 6 at Moldo. Soon after, India said that talks will continue and both sides will solve the issues peacefully. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying was quoted by a Chinese news outlet as saying: "China and India have been effectively communicating via diplomatic and military channels over issues concerning the western section of the India-China border, during which a positive consensus has been reached. The two sides are following this consensus to take actions to ease the situation along the borders."

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The ongoing border dispute between India and China first came into the forefront on May 9 when clash was reported between military of the two nations at Naku La in Sikkim. Furthermore, on May 10, army official informed that there were other clashes that took place on May 6 near Pangong Tso Lake area in eastern Ladakh. Moreover, days after this, Chinese military helicopters were spotted close to the LAC in eastern Ladakh. A fleet of Su-30 fighters of the Indian Air Force then carried out sorties in the area.

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