Sharad Pawar demands detailed presentation on India-China border situation

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Bipin Rawat on Friday appeared before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, amid rising tension on the India-China border, during which senior NCP leader Sharad Pawar sought a detailed presentation on the situation.

The attendance of Gen Rawat was seen as significant amid the stand-off though the agenda of the meeting was briefing by top officials about the "provision and monitoring of the quality of ration and livery items to the Defence forces, especially in border areas".

Sources said Pawar, a former Defence Minister, raised the issue at the meeting chaired by panel head Jual Oram, a senior BJP MP, and sought a detailed presentation on the situation on the Line of Actual Control (LAC). To this, the officials said they have noted the request.

The NCP chief's demand for a detailed presentation comes days ahead of the start of Monsoon Session of Parliament and is seen as an attempt by the Opposition to raise the pitch on the issue. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who is also a member of the Defence panel and attended the meeting, has also been questioning the government's handling of the situation.

While Rahul is learnt to have not raised the issue in the meeting, he tweeted later, "the only 'talk' to have with China is about restoration of 'status quo ante' as of March 2020. (The) PM (Prime Minister) and GOI (Government of India) refuse to take responsibility for pushing China out of our land. All other 'talk' is worthless."

Before the meeting, Pawar told reporters that there should be a presentation by the government on the situation, as "we are all worried about what is happening on the India-China border, particularly in the Ladakh region".

Asked whether the government was hiding information, he said he was not going to make any allegation as he does not have any such information. He acknowledged that the situation at the border is a "very sensitive" issue involving national security and nobody should indulge in any kind of blame game.

Last week, Pawar and his party MPs had met former foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale and retired Air Marshal Bhushan Gohakle and discussed issues related to China.

In the Parliamentary panel meet, sources said the MPs raised questions about the issue of ration and supplies to soldiers.

To a question by Rahul why there was difference in food for jawans and officers, Gen Rawat said that there was no compromise on the quality and quantity of food served to them.

He said the difference is because of food habits and cited that soldiers prefer rotis while officers go for bread. He also said soldiers from rural areas prefer desi ghee while officers prefer cheese.