Amid border row, Chinese social media deletes PM Modi’s statement on the Galwan clash

Amid the border row between India and China, popular Chinese social media app, WeChat, has removed updates by the Embassy of India (EoI), including Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement on the Galwan clash. Asserting that China is not on Indian soil, PM Narendra Modi, on Friday, said that none of India's border posts have been captured, nor had China breached the Indian borders, at the all-party meeting chaired by him to brief political parties on the LAC situation. 

However, the reasons given for the removal of the posts include divulging state secrets and endangering national security. Earlier, the app included Modi’s remarks on the India-China border situation, the phone call between the Indian and Chinese foreign ministers held on Thursday and a statement by the external affairs ministry’s (MEA) spokesperson.

A day earlier, the EoI had to issue a clarification on its Chinese Twitter-like Weibo account after the same statement by the MEA spokesperson was deleted. Embassy officials had to then clarify to its readers that the post wasn’t removed by them, and re-published a screen-shot of the statement in Chinese.

This development comes in the backdrop of the violent face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh’s Galwan Valley region earlier this week.

READ: PM Modi assures 'No one has entered India's borders', extols martyrs' bravery on LAC

READ: Centre hits out at 'mischievous interpretation' of PM Modi's comments on LAC faceoff

PM Modi: 'No one has entered India's borders'

Furthermore, he stated that over the years the country had given priority to infrastructure development in border areas to secure its borders. He added that the requirement of the forces for Fighter Planes, modern helicopters, missile defense systems, etc., was noted by the government. He said that due to the newly built road at the LAC, increased patrolling, vigilance has increased and that 'one could not move an inch towards India's borders, without their knowledge'. 

PM Modi also that previously areas that were not in India's visibility were now being monitored by the forces effectively. Extolling India's increased capacity with respect to China's military prowess, he added, "Those who were not monitored or stopped before were now being stopped at every corner by our jawans". Defence Minister Rajnath Singh too said that there was no intelligence failure by India at the LAC.

READ: Amit Shah gives befitting reply to Rahul Gandhi, shares message of injured soldier's kin

READ: Pakistan-origin man convicted of terrorism in US faces charges in 26/11 Mumbai attacks