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India-China Standoff: Over 200 Chinese PLA Troops Came With Spiked Clubs, Sticks; Indian Army Foils Plan

More than 300 Chinese soldiers had attempted to get access to the top of 17,000-ft peak and were thwarted by Indian Army jawans, sources said. The area is now under snow. The Chinese troops wanted to uproot an Indian post, but the attempt was successfully averted by the Indian side.

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Around 200 Chinese soldiers involved in the India-China troops standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal on December 9 reportedly carried spiked clubs and sticks.

The clash near Yangtse along the LAC in the sensitive sector took place last Friday amid the over 30-month border standoff between the two sides in eastern Ladakh.

According to the Indian Army, Indian and Chinese troops clashed along the LAC in the Tawang sector and the face-off resulted in "minor injuries to a few personnel from both sides".

It has been reported that more than 300 Chinese soldiers had attempted to get access to the top of 17,000-ft peak where they wanted to uproot an Indian post. But, their plan was successfully foiled by the Indian Army.

Both sides immediately disengaged from the area.

Congress corners the Centre

The Congress on Monday hit out at the Centre over the India-China troops clash along the LAC on December 9 in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh and said the government needs to take the nation into confidence by discussing the issue in Parliament.

The issue is likely to rock the Parliament on Tuesday with several Congress leaders set to move adjournment notices in both Houses for discussing the issue.

The Congress has also alleged that the Modi government was suppressing the border issue due to which China was acting with increasing audacity.  

What did the Congress President say?

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, "Again our Indian Army soldiers have been provoked by the Chinese. Our jawans fought in a resolute manner and a few of them have been injured too."

Again our Indian Army soldiers have been provoked by the Chinese.
Our jawans fought in a resolute manner and a few of them have been injured too.
We are one with the nation on the issues of National Security and would not like to politicize it. But Modi Govt
should be honest..
1/

— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) December 12, 2022

"We are one with the nation on the issues of national security and would not like to politicize it. But the Modi government should be honest about the Chinese transgressions and the construction at all points near the LAC since April 2020.

"The government needs to take the nation into confidence by discussing this issue in Parliament," Kharge said on Twitter, adding that "we are forever indebted to the valour and sacrifice of our soldiers".

..about the Chinese transgressions and the construction at all points near the LAC, since April 2020. Govt needs to take the nation into confidence by discussing this issue in Parliament.

We are forever indebted to the valour and sacrifice of our soldiers.
2/2

— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) December 12, 2022

Jairam Ramesh's comments

AICC general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh said the Congress has been trying to "wake up" the government on the Chinese actions on the border but it is silent in order to "protect its political image".  

"We are proud of the bravery of the armed forces. China's actions on the border are completely unacceptable. For the last two years, we have been repeatedly trying to wake up the government, but the Modi government is trying to suppress the matter only to save its political image. The audacity of China is growing because of this," Ramesh said in a tweet in Hindi.  

भारतीय सेना के शौर्य पर हमें गर्व है।

सीमा पर चीन की हरकतें पूरी तरह से अस्वीकार्य हैं।

पिछले दो साल से हम बार-बार सरकार को जगाने की कोशिश कर रहे हैं, लेकिन मोदी सरकार केवल अपनी राजनीतिक छवि को बचाने के लिए इस मामले को दबाने में लगी है। इससे चीन का दुस्साहस बढ़ता जा रहा है।

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) December 12, 2022

"No one is bigger than the country but Modi ji is putting the country in danger to save his image...," he alleged and said the fresh development along the LAC was worrying.

देश से बड़ा कोई नहीं है, लेकिन मोदी जी अपनी छवि को बचाने के लिए देश को ख़तरे में डाल रहे हैं।

उत्तरी लद्दाख़ में घुसपैठ स्थायी करने की कोशिश में चीन ने डेपसांग में LAC की सीमा में 15-18 km अंदर 200 स्थायी शेल्टर बना दिए, पर सरकार चुप रही।अब यह नया चिंताजनक मामला सामने आया है। https://t.co/RgzMZLQlJw

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) December 12, 2022

What did the party say?

The Congress also tweeted a video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech made after the Galwan clash in which he had said that "no one occupied our land and no one has entered India and that none of our posts is in occupation of anyone else".  

"If this mistake had not been made. Had China been named, it would not have dared to raise its eyes towards India... There's still time... don't be afraid," the Congress said while referring to the prime minister's speech.  

अगर ये गलती न की होती। चीन का नाम लेने से डरे न होते तो आज चीन की हैसियत नहीं थी कि हमारे देश की तरफ आंख उठाकर देखे।

हमारी जमीन पर कब्जा करना, हमारी जमीन पर आकर हमारे सैनिकों से झड़प करना तो दूर की बात है।

अब भी वक्त है... डरो मत! pic.twitter.com/cSG5cjWZAa

— Congress (@INCIndia) December 12, 2022

Congress leader Manish Tewari termed the clash as unfortunate and said it warrants a discussion in Parliament.

"The clash is unfortunate. Galwan 2020 was in Eastern Ladakh - this is Tawang Arunachal Pradesh extreme North-East.

"Chinese military posture and political disposition qua India especially after the 20th Congress of CCP warrants a full discussion in Parliament," Tewari tweeted.

Shashi Tharoor also said, "I've long argued that China has designs on Tawang, since they want to pre-empt the possibility of a future Dalai Lama being identified at the birthplace of the 6thDL. Proud of our soldiers for standing up to the PLA".

I’ve long argued that China has designs on Tawang, since they want to pre-empt the possibility of a future DalaiLama being identified at the birthplace of the 6thDL. Proud of our soldiers for standing up to the PLA: https://t.co/hntnFyTvww

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) December 12, 2022

Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said in a tweet in Hindi, "Had the PM acted against China (after Galwan clash) rather saving his image, China would not have had the audacity to clash with Indian troops again."

हमारे 20 बहादुर सैनिकों की शहादत के बाद भी चीन को दो टूक जवाब देने की बजाय..

पीएम ने "कोई नहीं घुस आया..." का बयान देकर देश की सुरक्षा और संप्रभुता से ज्यादा,

अपनी "आभासी छवि" बनाए रखने में सारा ध्यान न लगाया होता,

तो चीन बार बार ये दुस्साहस करने की धृष्टता कभी नहीं करता ! pic.twitter.com/2UzByLX2ET

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) December 12, 2022

The Congress' reaction came after the Army said that Indian and Chinese troops clashed in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh on December 9, resulting in injuries to a few personnel on both sides.  

The Congress and other opposition parties have been seeking a discussion on the border situation in Parliament.