A document on the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) website that acknowledged Chinese intrusion in the Indian territory of Ladakh in May, has vanished from the website, just two days after it was uploaded, say reports.
The document, titled "Chinese Aggression on LAC" was uploaded under the "What's New" section of the Ministry's website.
WHAT DID THE DOCUMENT SAY
“Chinese aggression has been increasing along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and more particularly in Galwan valley since 5 May, 2020. The Chinese side has transgressed in the areas of Kungrang Nala, Gogra and north bank of Pangong Tso Lake on 17-18 May,” said the document, reports NDTV.
It further stated that ground-level interactions were held between the armed forces of both the Indian and Chinese sides in order to defuse tensions. A Corps commanders' flag meeting was held to this effect on 6 June. "However, a violent face-off incident took place between the two sides on 15 June, resulting in casualties on both sides", the document said.
"While engagement and dialogue at military and diplomatic level is continuing to arrive at mutually acceptable consensus, the present standoff is likely to be prolonged," the document further stated.
"The situation in Eastern Ladakh arising from unilateral aggression by China continues to be sensitive and requiring close monitoring and prompt action based on the evolving situation," it added.
This document, the first official document acknowledging Chinese intrusion on Indian territory by the government, has however been missing from the MoD website since the morning of 6 August.
WHAT THE DEFENCE MINISTRY HAS TO SAY ABOUT IT
A defence ministry spokesperson told NDTV that the said document "did not go through him".
Earlier Prime Minister Modi had caused political uproar when in an all-party meeting in June, he'd insinuated that China had not intruded into Indian territory on the day of the Galwan clashes on 15 June.
WHAT RAHUL GANDHI SAID
Congress MP rahul gandhi on Thursday took to Twitter to say that deleting documents from the website won’t change facts.
“Forget standing up to China, India’s PM lacks the courage even to name them. Denying China is in our territory and removing documents from websites won’t change the facts,” he tweeted.
WHAT PM HAD SAID EARLIER
"Neither has anyone intruded into our territory nor taken over any post. Our forces are doing what they have to do to protect the country, whether it is deployment, action or counter-action. Our patrolling capacity has increased due to newly built infrastructure, especially along LAC", the prime minister had said in a meeting following the intrusion.
His office later clarified that this remark that there was no Chinese presence the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) "pertained to the situation as a consequence of the bravery of our armed forces."
Border tensions between India and China have been at an all time high since 15 June, when 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives on the line of duty after deadly clashes with Chinese troops in Ladakh's Galwan Valley, along the LAC.
(With inputs from NDTV)
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