China deploys mouthpiece stooge again; calls India provoker, claims 'reckless patriotism'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held an all-party meeting to discuss the situation along the India-China border. He said, "Na wahan koi hamari seema mein ghusa hua hai, na hi hamari koi post kisi dusre ke kabze mein hain (Neither is anyone inside our territory nor is any of our post captured).

'Reckless patriotism harms India'

Reacting to this, Editor of the Chinese government's mouthpiece Global Times Hu Xijin on Saturday reiterated its government's claim that "Indian troops proved the deadly clash". Rejecting PM Modi's statement, he tweeted saying, "Indian society must dare to face up to the basic fact: It is Indian troop that provoked the deadly clash." He added that "reckless patriotism, no matter at the border or in New Delhi, harms India."

'This will goodwill from Beijing'

The Global Times' Editor-in-Chief had earlier admitted that China has also suffered casualties during the June 15 clash. However, China never officially revealed any numbers. Taking to Twitter, he had said, "Based on what I know, Chinese side also suffered casualties in the Galwan Valley physical clash. I want to tell the Indian side, don’t be arrogant and misread China’s restraint as being weak. China doesn’t want to have a clash with India, but we don’t fear it."

PM Modi's remarks were also criticized by political parties like the Congress, CPI (M) AAP, and others. Congress accused him of surrendering Indian territory to Chinese aggression and asked where the 20 Indian soldiers were killed if the Chinese military did not come to the Indian side of the LAC, the de-facto boundary between the two countries.

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Clarifying PM Modi's remarks, the PMO said, "the Prime Minister paid glowing tributes to the valour and patriotism of our armed forces who repulsed the designs of the Chinese there. Prime Minister's observations that there was no Chinese presence on our side of the LAC pertained to the situation as a consequence of the bravery of our armed forces."

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"Attempts are being made in some quarters to give a mischievous interpretation to remarks by the Prime Minister at the all-party meeting on Friday," it said.

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Twenty Indian soldiers were martyred in the face-off in Galwan Valley on June 15-16. It happened as a result of an attempt by the Chinese troops to unilaterally change the status quo during the de-escalation in eastern Ladakh. Indian intercepts have revealed that the Chinese side suffered 43 casualties including dead and seriously injured in the violent clash.

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(with PTI inputs)