Even as the Opposition parties are mounting pressure on the Government to hold discussion on the Chinese incursions, External affairs minister S. Jaishankar said the criticism should not be directed against the Jawans.
The union minister was replying during a discussion on the anti-maritime piracy bill in Lok Sabha. “Our soldiers are standing at a height of 13,000 feet in Yangtse and guarding our border. They should be respected and appreciated. We have no problem with political criticism but we should not disrespect our jawans. The word pitai (beating) should not be used for them,” Jaishankar said.
Jaishankar was responding to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s statement, where he took on the government over the face-off between the Indian and Chinese soldiers, during a press conference last week.
The minister also dismissed criticism from the Opposition benches that the government was not taking any action. saying, “If we were indifferent to China then who sent the Indian Army to the border? If we were indifferent to China then why are we pressurising China for de-escalation and disengagement today? Why are we saying publicly that our relations are not normal,” Jaishankar said.
In Rajya Sabha, the Opposition demanded that the house discuss the issue. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said, “They (China) are encroaching on our land. If we don't discuss this issue, then what else should we discuss? We are ready for discussion on this issue in the House.”
When Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar rejected all notices under rule 267 demanding suspension of business to discuss the China issue, the Opposition staged a walkout. Later addressing media, Union Minister Piyush Goyal hit out the Opposition for disrupting the proceedings of the house.
