Congress Seeks HM Shah's Response After Indian Graziers 'Stopped' By Chinese Troops In Eastern Ladakh

The purported incident occurred last month when Chinese soldiers reportedly halted shepherds in an area south of Chushul in eastern Ladakh, and a video of the confrontation circulated on social media.

File Photo Of Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh

Source : PTI Images

The Congress party has raised concerns over a video clip purportedly depicting Indian shepherds facing off with Chinese soldiers in eastern Ladakh. The incident, where the graziers were allegedly stopped from grazing their animals, prompted the Congress to question the Home Minister about efforts to protect them from Chinese "harassment". 

हाल ही में लद्दाख में चीन के साथ लगी हमारे देश की सीमा पर चरागाह से संबंधित एक मामला सामने आया है। ऐसा लगता है कि विदेश मंत्रालय ने इससे अपने आप को अलग करते हुए सारी ज़िम्मेदारी गृह मंत्रालय पर डाल दी है। इस मामले पर हमारा बयान। pic.twitter.com/hwT5okaNx1

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) February 2, 2024

In a statement, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh sought answers on the number of such incidents since May 2020 and inquired about any injuries sustained by Indian graziers during these encounters.

The purported incident occurred last month when Chinese soldiers reportedly halted shepherds in an area south of Chushul in eastern Ladakh, and a video of the confrontation circulated on social media.

Responding to the development, the Ministry of External Affairs stated on Thursday that both sides are aware of traditional grazing areas, and any friction incidents are addressed through existing mechanisms.

Ramesh criticised the Ministry of External Affairs for what he deemed a weak response, stating, "we have seen how the Modi government has failed to prevent the Chinese from denying our troops and graziers access to 2,000 square kilometres of territory in eastern Ladakh for the past four years, despite 18 rounds of military talks". 

Highlighting that border management falls under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ramesh emphasized the Home Ministry's responsibility to ensure the rights of Indian graziers within Indian territory.

The Congress leader called on the Home Minister to clarify the number of such incidents since May 2020, probing whether graziers suffered injuries or material losses and if there were efforts to shield them from Chinese harassment.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, on Thursday, stated, "The two sides are aware of the traditional grazing areas in the border areas. Any incident of friction is dealt with traditional mechanisms as appropriate". 

The Indian and Chinese troops have been engaged in a confrontation in eastern Ladakh for over three years, with disengagement in several areas following extensive diplomatic and military talks. The standoff erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong lake area, and India has consistently maintained that normalizing ties with China depends on peace in the border regions.