Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to address the Parliament on Tuesday over the ongoing stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. The opposition led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been targeting the government over the issue and demanding a debate on it.
Singh had met his Chinese counterpart Gen Wei Fenghe in Moscow recently. During the meeting India conveyed to China that the current situation should be handled responsibly and that neither side take any further action that could either complicate or escalate matters.
Following the defence ministers’ talks, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi had also met in Moscow.
The talks in the Russian capital took place days after tensions flared up again in eastern Ladakh after China unsuccessfully attempted to occupy Indian territory in the southern bank of Pangong lake when the two sides were engaged in diplomatic and military talks to resolve the four-month-old border row.
Following the fresh confrontation, India occupied a number of strategic heights on the southern bank of Pangong lake and strengthened its presence in Finger 2 and Finger 3 areas in the region. China has strongly objected to India's move. However, India has maintained that the strategic heights are on its side of the LAC.
During the monsoon session, which began on Monday, the opposition is seeking to corner the government on its handling of the standoff with China along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, the COVID-19 situation, economic downturn and unemployment, and is pressing for discussions on these issues.
The Congress and other opposition parties raised these demands in the first business advisory committee (BAC) meeting for Lok Sabha chaired by Speaker Om Birla on Sunday, but no time has been allocated yet for these discussions.
