Congress seeks India-China joint statement on disengagement in Ladakh

The Congress on Thursday described the claims and counter-claims about disengagement between Indian and Chinese troops in Ladakh as a “tragi-comedy”.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram sought an explanation from the Modi government on the “never-ending” talks with China on the transgression by the People's Liberation Army in parts of Ladakh and reports of disengagement of troops in the icy heights.

Chinese mouthpiece Global Times had described the reports of disengagement as “inaccurate”.

Read: India, China close in on plan to end months of military standoff

“If there is agreement on anything, India must insist on a joint statement so that we put an end to this tragi-comedy of claim and repudiation,” Chidambaram said.

The former Union Home Minister said the reality was that China has entrenched itself in the territory it has encroached upon.

“Government must explain what is going on in these never-ending talks with China. Every time India claims that there has been ‘agreement’ on disengagement, China repudiates the claim,” Chidambaram said, keeping up the attack on the Modi government on the issue.

Also read: Sino-India border standoff in eastern Ladakh expected to be resolved peacefully soon: ITBP chief

India and China have been in a combat-ready situation ever since May with both sides deploying their troops heavily along the eastern Ladakh border.

There have also been eight rounds of military talks to defuse the tensions.

Nearly 50,000 Indian Army troops are currently deployed in various mountainous locations in eastern Ladakh in sub-zero conditions as multiple rounds of talks between the two sides have not yielded any concrete outcome to resolve the standoff.