Rajnath for resolution of boundary dispute with China

New Delhi, June 8

Addressing a vital political issue, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said the India-China boundary dispute is long pending and we want the dispute to be resolved ‘as soon as possible'.

This is second public statement by senior government functionary on the matter since Prime Minister Narenda Modi had raised the matter of demarcation of the 3,488-km Line of Actual Control (LAC) at a bilateral meeting with Xi Jinping in September 2014.

Besides this, since 2003, the special representatives of both the countries have conducted 22 rounds of talks on the matter. The boundary between India and China was never demarcated even during the British times, the dispute spilled over post 1947.

Singh was speaking at a ‘Maharashtra jan Samwaad' virtual rally organsied by his party, the BJP on Monday evening.

Besides addressing the festering boundary dispute, he also made the first public comment on the ongoing India-China tensions along the LAC in Ladakh. “India and China military and diplomatic talks are on.” The meeting on June 6 of Military commanders at Chusul-Moldo was ‘positive', he said adding, “India and China have agreed that the future border dispute resolution and also the present tussle will be done through talks.”

Rajnath Singh said under no circumstances will the government let the honour and self-respect of the country be affected. “India's policy is that we never try to hurt any one's honour and cannot tolerate any hurt to our own,” he said.

On Congress and Rahul Gandhi asking questions as to what is happening at the boundary, Rajnath Singh said “as Defence Minister I will reply in Parliament. I will not mislead the nation and will say everything clearly”.

The nation is led by a strong leader like Narendra Modi “don't try and tell us what to do”, said Rajnath Singh to Congress.

Look at the condition of your party, Rajnath said to the Congress. “Please trust the Army and its valour, do not do indulge in such talk,” he added.

Meanwhile, social media users have been posting old tweets of Narendra Modi, who as Chief Minister of Gujarat, had questioned the Manmohan Singh government in 2013 during a similar stand-off with China.

Meanwhile, Rajnath Singh on Monday morning chaired a review meeting with the Chiefs of the Indian Army, Navy and the Air Force along with Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat.

Sources said the Minister was given a situation brief on the matter, nature of own deployment and analysis beside the possible outcomes of the emerging threats.

On June 6, the Indian delegation led by Lt General Harinder Singh, the general officer commanding of Leh-based 14 Corps, and Commander of the Xinjiang South Military District Maj Gen Liu Lin held an extensive meeting in Moldo on the Chinese side of the LAC.