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House panel raps ‘silent’ MEA
A Parliamentary panel has flayed the Government for its “baffling silence” over incidents of Chinese incursions in India and directed it to “come out strongly with the facts.”
The External Affairs Ministry attracted the ire of the Committee on Government Assurances as despite telling the Rajya Sabha two years back that it will provide information about the number of incidents of Chinese incursions in 2008 and 2009, the Government chose to avoid the issue.
Annoyed over the “evasive reply” filed by the Ministry on a “sensitive issue” concerning national security, the panel headed by BJD leader Pyarimohan Mohapatra asked the Government to give a categorical reply at the earliest.
Pointing out that often reports of Chinese incursion into Indian Territory appear in the media, the Committee said, “The silence on the part of the Government is, to say the least, baffling. If there is no truth in these reports, the Government must come out strongly with facts and refute these reports.”
The Government’s evasive response is interesting in view of the fact that Chinese troops had recently destroyed a 200 feet wall 250 meters within the Indian boundary in Tawang area of Arunachal Pradesh. The issue had even forced Defence Minister AK Antony to make a statement in the Parliament during the winter session.
The Committee reminded that External Affairs Minister SM Krishna had on December 10, 2009 said that he will provide information about such incidents while replying to a question about the action the government proposed to take about “deeper Chinese incursions” into disputed pockets. He had said that there was no increase in the incidents of incursions in recent past.
However, in its Implementation Report furnished on June 13, 2011, the Ministry had evaded a direct reply about the number of such incidents. It only gave the general information that boundary question with China is a sensitive matter that has engaged both the Governments since 1959. It said that the White Papers tabled by the Government in Parliament contained all the details of the dispute and the issue has remained unresolved.
Since there is no commonly delineated LAC in the border areas between the two countries and due to difference of perception of LAC, transgressions occur, it admitted. It listed out laid down mechanisms in place besides agreements with China.
After perusal of the Implementation Report, the Committee realised that the real question remained unanswered. It thus directed the ministry to file a revised report providing categorical reply to the information sought by the member at the earliest to liquidate the assurance.
Significantly, the Government is already facing embarrassment over recent diplomatic row between the two countries over denial of visa to a IAD official from Arunachal Pradesh. It has followed after torture and illegal confinement of two Indian traders and denial of medicine to a diplomat who had gone to help these traders.
A Parliamentary panel has flayed the Government for its “baffling silence” over incidents of Chinese incursions in India and directed it to “come out strongly with the facts.”
The External Affairs Ministry attracted the ire of the Committee on Government Assurances as despite telling the Rajya Sabha two years back that it will provide information about the number of incidents of Chinese incursions in 2008 and 2009, the Government chose to avoid the issue.
Annoyed over the “evasive reply” filed by the Ministry on a “sensitive issue” concerning national security, the panel headed by BJD leader Pyarimohan Mohapatra asked the Government to give a categorical reply at the earliest.
Pointing out that often reports of Chinese incursion into Indian Territory appear in the media, the Committee said, “The silence on the part of the Government is, to say the least, baffling. If there is no truth in these reports, the Government must come out strongly with facts and refute these reports.”
The Government’s evasive response is interesting in view of the fact that Chinese troops had recently destroyed a 200 feet wall 250 meters within the Indian boundary in Tawang area of Arunachal Pradesh. The issue had even forced Defence Minister AK Antony to make a statement in the Parliament during the winter session.
The Committee reminded that External Affairs Minister SM Krishna had on December 10, 2009 said that he will provide information about such incidents while replying to a question about the action the government proposed to take about “deeper Chinese incursions” into disputed pockets. He had said that there was no increase in the incidents of incursions in recent past.
However, in its Implementation Report furnished on June 13, 2011, the Ministry had evaded a direct reply about the number of such incidents. It only gave the general information that boundary question with China is a sensitive matter that has engaged both the Governments since 1959. It said that the White Papers tabled by the Government in Parliament contained all the details of the dispute and the issue has remained unresolved.
Since there is no commonly delineated LAC in the border areas between the two countries and due to difference of perception of LAC, transgressions occur, it admitted. It listed out laid down mechanisms in place besides agreements with China.
After perusal of the Implementation Report, the Committee realised that the real question remained unanswered. It thus directed the ministry to file a revised report providing categorical reply to the information sought by the member at the earliest to liquidate the assurance.
Significantly, the Government is already facing embarrassment over recent diplomatic row between the two countries over denial of visa to a IAD official from Arunachal Pradesh. It has followed after torture and illegal confinement of two Indian traders and denial of medicine to a diplomat who had gone to help these traders.
