‘Why did PM lie about Chinese infiltration?’

MUMBAI: While welcoming the disengagement of Chinese and Indian troops in eastern Ladakh, the Shiv Sena questioned why Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi lied to the country on the issue of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops’ infiltration into Indian territory.

An editorial in Sena mouthpiece Saamana on Thursday said that Chinese troops were about 20km inside the Indian border and killed 20 jawans in eastern Ladakh but the PM and other senior ministers of the Union government lied about Chinese infiltration when the Opposition questioned them.

Addressing Rajya Sabha on February 11, defence minister Rajnath Singh said that India and China have agreed to disengage from Pangong Tso area in eastern Ladakh and go back to status quo ante after a stand-off lasting nearly nine months. Singh said that according to the agreement, Chinese troops will pull back from Finger 4 area in the northern banks of Pangong Tso to beyond Finger 8.

“Till two months ago, PM Narendra Modi was saying Chinese troops have not infiltrated the Indian border. The same PM is now saying that Chinese troops are retreating from our soil. Meaning, the Chinese did infiltrate, and our PM was lying to the country,” the editorial said.

It also slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for celebrating the victory of the retreat. Maharashtra BJP chief spokesperson Keshav Upadhye dismissed the allegation made in the editorial and said, “Saamana and the Sena have nothing productive to do besides criticising PM Modi. They should look into issues that affect common man than play politics.