Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday advocated aggressive steps to take back the Galwan Valley territory seized by the Chinese and urged the Union government to issue an ultimatum to Beijing to vacate the occupied land immediately, with a clear warning that failure to do so will lead to serious consequences for them.
“While India will also have to suffer some consequences of such an act, it can no longer afford to allow such intrusion and attacks on its territorial integrity,” said Captain, while interacting with the media at the Chandigarh airbase where he had gone to pay tributes to the three sepoys whose mortal remains were flown in from Galwan Valley.
Laying a wreath on the mortal remains of Sepoys Gurbinder Singh from Sangrur, Gurtej Singh from Mansa and Ankush from Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh, Captain said the nation is forever indebted to them.
Amarinder said past experience shows that when faced with aggression, the Chinese have always backed off. It’s time to call their bluff, he said, reiterating that Indians want a befitting response to be the Chinese.
Questioning the so-called agreement which prevented the Indian troops from firing, Amarinder demanded to know who had come up with such an agreement. “How can one have an agreement of this nature with a hostile neighbour?” he asked.
{{/usCountry}}Questioning the so-called agreement which prevented the Indian troops from firing, Amarinder demanded to know who had come up with such an agreement. “How can one have an agreement of this nature with a hostile neighbour?” he asked.
{{/usCountry}}“It is clear that the attack on Indian soldiers was a pre-meditated move by the Chinese, who had come prepared with deadly weapons,” he said, adding, “by carrying nail-studded lathis and barbed-wired clubs and by attacking our troops, they abrogated whatever agreement was in place. In such circumstance, the Indian soldiers had full right to retaliate using weapons.”
“If the situation is allowed to escalate, China, in collusion with Pakistan, will get further emboldened to encroach upon Indian territories,” Captain said.