GOVT BRIEFS OPPN ON INDO-CHINA STANDOFF; CONG SAYS ‘NATION COMES FIRST’
NEW DELHI: The government reached out to the opposition parties and some of its allies on Friday to build a consensus on the border standoff with China ahead of Parliament’s monsoon session, but faced tough questions on the delay in resolving the dispute.
In response to the opposition leaders’ call for using “active diplomatic channels”, the Centre said it is engaged in talks to ease the tension in the Doklam region of the Sikkim sector.
The government briefed the leaders about the Chinese incursion as tension between the two Asian giants escalated in the past three weeks over the standoff at Doklam. As the impasse festered, opposition parties criticised the government for what they said not taking them into confidence on issues of national interest and security.
At a meeting in home minister Rajnath Singh’s residence, foreign secretary S Jaishankar and home secretary Rajeev Mehrishi made a detailed presentation on the India-China border issue and Monday’s militant attack on Amarnath pilgrims. Jaishankar was quoted by opposition members as saying that China is trying to change the status quo along its southern border.
He talked about the diplomatic process to resolve one of the longest border standoff in recent times. Opposition leaders, including Congress’s Anand Sharma and CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, wanted to know why the impasse happened in 2017 and why the government is unable to find a solution through talks. Most leaders, including the NCP’s Sharad Pawar, seconded the questions.
The Congress, Trinamool Congress, CPI(M) and Shiv Sena fielded a flurry of questions. Some of the opposition leaders later said they didn’t get satisfactory answers. “We said that on issues of national security and integrity of the country, we are with the government,” Trinamool leader Derek O’Brien said.
Jaishankar informed the leaders about the strategic significance of Doklam and said the faceoff needs to be seen in the context of the Siliguri corridor, the narrow stretch of land connecting the Northeast with the country. “There was widespread appreciation of the understanding between India and China that differences between them shouldn’t become disputes,” foreign ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said.
Mulayam Singh Yadav, who represented the Samajwadi Party at the meeting, said the government needs to be careful about dealing with China. Defence minister Arun Jaitley, home minister Singh and foreign minister Sushma Swaraj along with NSA Ajit Doval were present at the meeting.
The government also briefed the leaders on the attack in Anantnag in which seven pilgrims were killed.
Several leaders said the government couldn’t come up with a credible reason to explain security lapses that led to the attack.