ARMY WANTS TO SHOW CHINESE SOME MUSCLE

In a bid to tackle the ongoing military stand-off with China near the LAC in eastern Ladakh, Army Chief General Bikram Singh on Wednesday suggested various options to the government, including a “show of strength” in the area by significantly increasing troop levels.

Late night reports on Wednesday noted that China has reinforced its position in Daulat Beg Oldi sector, 19 km inside Indian territory. Chinese troops were reportedly getting regular supplies through trucks. One of the options given to the China Study Group, headed by NSA Shivshankar Menon, was to cut the supply line of the Chinese troops stationed inside India.

Home ministry sources said they have received reports stating that the Chinese troops had adopted an aggressive posture during patrolling in the DBO sector.

Meanwhile, briefing the Cabinet Committee on Security, Army Chief General Bikram Singh informed that the Chinese want two main demands met.

First, they want Indian security forces to dismantle all their structures in the Raki Nullah area in eastern Ladakh; and second, the Chinese are demanding that the distance between the Indian security posts in this sector be increased, which would effectively mean fewer posts.

On Wednesday, a border personnel meeting between representatives of the two Armies took place on May Day in Chinese territory across the LAC.

The meeting, ceremonial in nature, lasted three-anda-half hours but the current stand-off was not discussed.

General Singh’s suggestion to adopt an aggressive posture came even as India was making hectic and constant efforts to resolve the crisis at the diplomatic level in what is clearly not a “localised” matter.

The UPA-2 regime, which has been facing flak both within and outside Parliament for its “weakkneed response” to the Chinese violation of the Line of Actual Control, is being kept abreast of the constant diplomatic dialogue between the two sides.