Published 13:48 IST, May 27th 2020
Centre warns China; 'None can stare back at Modi's New India,' says Ravi Shankar Prasad
Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad categorically stated that 'no one can dare to stare into PM Modi's new India', thereby issuing stern response to China
- India News
- 3 min read
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday, categorically stated that 'no one can dare to stare back Narendra Modi's new India', thereby issuing a stern response to China amid an ongoing border faceoff.
Also responding to a reference to Nepal's recent act of including Indian territories in its map alongside blaming India for the spread of COVID, and China's standoff with the Indian Armed Forces at the LAC at Ladakh, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad strongly reiterated that no neighbour would dare stray into Indian territory while PM Modi was at the helm of the affairs in the country.
Former COAS and current Union Minister Gen VK Singh also simultaneously slammed China for the standoff at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and said that frustration stemming from the fact that the whole world blaming China for the COVID crisis led them to commit such an act.
"Sometimes China infiltrates and says that the land is theirs. China is stuck in a situation due to Corona. The world is slamming them. So they want to divert everyone's attention and hence they are doing this drama. China is frustrated because the world slamming them. This is not 1962, it is 2020 and scenario is totally different now. We know how to handle everything. The Indian Army is capable of everything", said Gen. VK Singh, talking to Republic TV.
Both statements come at a time when a high-level meeting is ongoing between military structures on both sides, with Army chief General Naravane leading India's representation.
India and China faceoff along LAC
Chinese military helicopters were spotted close to the border between India and China in eastern Ladakh after a clash between soldiers from both sides took place on two occasions. Thereafter, a fleet of Su-30 fighters of the Indian Air Force carried out sorties in the area. According to reports, Indian and Chinese Army personnel clashed along the northern bank of the Pangong Lake in Ladakh on May 5. 4 days later, a face-off between the two sides was witnessed near Naku La Pass in Sikkim.
Nepal PM blames India for spread of COVID
Amid tensions mounting with China along the LAC, and controversy over Nepal's new political map, Prime Minister KP Oli blamed India for the spread of the novel Coronavirus in his country. This comes immediately after he defended Nepal's new political map that includes part of India as its territory. He claimed that the virus from India is more 'lethal' than that from China; and this even though just days earlier, 123 countries had overwhelmed China's clout and forced WHO to agree to a comprehensive evaluation to the origins of the COVID-19 virus.
In a speech in parliament, Oli said: "Those who are coming from India through illegal channels are spreading the virus in the country and some local representatives and party leaders are responsible for bringing in people from India without proper testing. It has become very difficult to contain COVID-19 due to the flow of people from outside. Indian virus looks more lethal than Chinese and Italian now. More are getting infected." Oli's statements, however, appear to be driven as much by his own internal political compulsions as any of the causes stated.
Updated 13:48 IST, May 27th 2020