Galwan 2020: The night that changed the neighbourhood Sonia asks govt to come clean on Galwan incident
Ayear passed since Colonel Santhosh Babu and his band of gallant men from 16 Bihar Regiment laid down their lives in the Galwan clash against the PLA, the Chinese army. The fateful night, a year ago, which claimed their lives will not go down in history as yet another night of betrayal by a bete noire whose characteristic reliance on deceit and denial is well known.
Instead, on this occasion, Col Babu’s bravehearts decided to not let the enemy’s surprise moves stun them. They acted fearlessly and inflicted upon an armed enemy a number of casualties they had never expected. These brave soldiers set into motion the template of India’s actions to follow in Ladakh against an enemy that had broken a soldier’s code of conduct. The Indian Army redoubled the aggression and vigil against China along the LAC.
Through their brave actions, they exposed Chinese doublespeak about honour and patriotism. PLA soldiers who died in Galwan clash were never recognised by China or given honour by their country, as the fallen Indian soldiers received. Col. Babu, in his death, showed that a courageous leader on ground can expose the machinations of a powerful nation known for its doublespeak.
The fateful incident was followed by action in August when the Indian Army outpaced the Chinese to dominate heights of Kailash ranges in eastern Ladakh and put China at a disadvantage.
On a strategic level, two countries slid down a path farther away from normalcy. The PLA increased its presence along the LAC and reinforced a robust rear infrastructure to support the forward troops. India too ramped up troop deployment and infrastructure on high priority. Galwan began a clamour for India to widen its sphere of rivalry with China and take advantage of the oceans.
It opened up Chinese insecurity about India’s advantage in the region, especially the Indian Ocean region. Thus, China rebooted its influence in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Myanmar. India finally shed its inhibitions about expressing closeness to the US and finally threw its lot with the QUAD club.
American interests had traditionally aroused suspicion in India, but in
2020, China made sure it was a choice thrust upon India in the face of medieval hostilities and unconcealed belligerence. Indians are sometimes misled by history to often quote that this Indian Army is no longer the Army of 1962. Such an analogy is misplaced and ludicrous.
History has had two battles and standoffs between India and China since
1962. Those were in 1967 and 1987: India triumphed over China both times,
New Delhi, June 15: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday asked the government to come clean on the Galwan Valley incident in which 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives a year ago and sought to know the progress made in restoring status quo ante at the border.
In a statement, she said no clarity is yet available on the Chinese transgressions at the border, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has denied.
Gandhi said the Congress has patiently waited for the government to come clean and inform the nation about the circumstances in which the unprecedented incident happened and reassure the people that the sacrifice of our brave jawans was not in vain.
“The Congress party reiterates its concern that no clarity is yet available and the prime minister’s last word on the subject a year ago was that no transgression had occurred,” she said.
“We have repeatedly sought details of the episode in light of the PM’s statement, as well as details of what progress
once by inflicting casualties and on another occasion without firing a single bullet.
Therefore, when the Indian Army took the Kailash heights in August last year and turned the tables on China, it was a reminder of 1987 instead, when the PLA was pushed back without fighting a battle.
Over four decades had passed without a single bullet being fired by the two countries at each other. And then, China disrupted history. It all started with that fateful night, when Col. Babu and his band of gallants walked up to the Chinese to ask them to leave.
The columnist is the author of ‘Watershed 1967: India’s Forgotten Victory
Over China, who retired as a Major in the Indian Army and is a visiting faculty at Columbia
University has been made towards restoring the status quo ante prior to April 2020,” she also said.
The Congress chief said that the disengagement agreement with China “appears to have worked entirely to India’s disadvantage so far”.
“The Congress party urges the government to take the nation into confidence and ensure that their performance is worthy of the commitment of our soldiers who are standing bravely and resolutely at the borders,” she said in her statement.
Gandhi also said, “As we approach the first anniversary of the tragic loss of 20 brave soldiers of the Bihar Regiment, including their commanding officer, in the confrontation with PLA troops of China on the night of June 15-16, 2020, the Congress party joins a grateful nation in remembrance of their supreme sacrifice.”
The 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives in clashes with PLA troops at the India-China border in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on the intervening night of June 15 and 16, 2020. —