Ladakh Standoff: Talks With China Guided By 3 Key Principles, Govt Tells Parliament

India China Tension: V Muraleedharan has said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha that talks are taking place in the remaining areas of LAC in eastern Ladakh regarding disengagement.

(File Photo/ Getty)

New Delhi: Union minister V Muraleedharan on Friday said that India and its neighboring country China have continued to maintain dialogue through both diplomatic and military channels regarding disengagement in the remaining area of the Line of Actual Control (LAC). 

During the ongoing session of the Lok Sabha, Muraleedharan said, "Our approach in these talks has been and will continue to be guided by three key principles. First, both sides should strictly respect and observe the LAC. Secondly, neither side should attempt to alter the status quo unilaterally and thirdly agreements between two sides must be fully abided by in their entirety.”

As regards disengagement in the remaining areas along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh, India and China have maintained dialogue through both diplomatic and military channels: MoS MEA V Muraleedharan in a written reply to an unstarred question in Lok Sabha

— ANI (@ANI) February 4, 2022

For the last 20 months, there has been a dispute between India and China on the Line of Control (LAC) adjacent to Eastern Ladakh. The disengagement has happened in the Finger area, Kailash Hill range, and Gogra, but the situation in Hot Spring, Demchok, and Depsang Plain still remains the same among the soldiers of both the countries.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying China was a kidnapping and torturing Indian citizens and he (Modi) was quietly waiting for "acche din". Rahul Gandhi tweeted saying, "China first captured our land and is now abducting our citizens and torturing them. Modiji is silently waiting for achhe din. Shameful".

He also attached a brief report by a news website which said, "BJP MP from Arunachal Pradesh Tapir Gao said that China is continuously kidnapping Indians and the Centre must find a solution to the problem."

On Wednesday, Lok Sabha MP Tapir Gao had said, "The Indian border villagers in Arunachal Pradesh often go to remote mountainous areas for hunting, collection of medicinal plants, other herbs and daily needs from the forested areas of the Indian territory but the Chinese Army often kidnaps them and takes them to their areas. This must be stopped. Indian authorities must look into the matter and take appropriate action to resolve the border dispute with China."

Earlier, Muraleedharan said in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday that the Indian government's policy is "zero tolerance" to terrorism and it believes in the collective efforts of the international community to counter the menace. He made this remark in the backdrop of developments in Afghanistan.