A day after Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said that a few Chinese troops were present in the Doklam plateau to carry out some temporary infrastructure development, the issue has led to a war of words between the Modi government and the Congress.
Reacting to news reports that suggested that there is a military build-up in the area by the Chinese troops, the Ministry of External Affairs said “the status quo at the face-off site has not been altered and any suggestion to the contrary is inaccurate and mischievous.”
But the Congress claimed that latest satellite images in the public domain indicate that the Chinese have set up a “full-fledged military complex” in the Doklam plateau.
“The new images show concrete posts, seven helipads, new trenches and several dozen armoured vehicles close to the point where the Indian Army and the People’s Liberation Army [PLA] troops were locked in a 72-day confrontation last year. There is at least one complete mechanised regiment and a strong possibility of another mechanised regiment under camouflage nets,” said the Congress’s communications chief, Randeep Surjewala, at a press conference on Thursday.
Parking areas
He said two major parking areas meant for tank transporters and a two-storey high observation tower were present barely 10 metres from the trenches occupied by the Indian Army.
“Is the Modi Government, especially the Defence Ministry, aware of this presence,”asked Mr. Surjewala.
He said that when India and China ended their 72-day stand-off over the Doklam plateau and the tri-junction with Bhutan, in last August 2017, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had assured Parliament that troops from both sides had agreed to dis-engage. “There was no reason not to believe the External Affairs Minister. However, even then the Chinese foreign spokesperson had stated that their troops would continue patrolling in the area. Now, after the current build up, I would like to ask the External Affairs Minister what is India’s stand on security,” Mr. Surjewala said.
Hours after the Congress press conference, the External Affairs Ministry issued a statement asserting that status quo at the face-off site of Doklam has been maintained and there is nothing on the ground that allows anyone to question the MEA’s assertion in 2017.
