New Delhi (NVI): President Ram Nath Kovind today said that extra forces have been deployed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to protect the sovereignty of India while condoling the loss of lives of 20 Indian Army soldiers who laid down their lives in Galwan Valley in Eastern Ladakh in June last year.
“My Government is vigilant and fully committed to safeguard the interests of the country. Additional forces have also been deployed at the LAC to protect the sovereignty of India,” President Kovind said in his address to the Joint Sitting of Parliament today.
“In June 2020, twenty of our jawans made the supreme sacrifice and laid down their lives defending the country at Galwan Valley. Every citizen is deeply indebted to these martyrs,” President’s office said in a tweet, quoting him.
The President’s remarks on LAC came amid a bitter India-China stand-off in Eastern Ladakh since May last year, as a series of diplomatic and military talks have failed to reach a solution.
20 Indian soldiers including the commanding officer of 16 Bihar regiment were killed in the violent face-off with China’s PLA on the intervening night of June 15 and 16, last year.
“On the late evening and night of 15th June 2020, a violent face-off happened when the Chinese side unilaterally attempted to change the status quo there,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Anurag Srivastava had said in a press briefing in June, after the Galwan incident.
“They took premeditated and planned action that was directly responsible for the resulting violence and casualties suffered by both sides. This could have been avoided had the agreement at the higher level been scrupulously followed by the Chinese side,” he had said.
Yesterday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that the events in Eastern Ladakh that took place last year have so profoundly disturbed the relationship between India and China, that it is at crossroads today.
In his keynote address at the 13th All India Conference of China Studies, Jaishankar said the aggressive posturing at the LAC by the Chinese side showed their willingness to breach peace and tranquility.
-ARK
