General V K Singh (retired) has claimed that Indian troops are in firm control of the ground situation in the eastern Ladakh and “there are no intrusions”; “there are transgressions, not intrusions,” Gen. Singh told Hindustan Times in an interview.
Gen. Singh, who is also a Member of Parliament and Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, said on Patrolling Point (PP) 14 in Galwan Valley “there is no intrusion whatsoever”. “Where PP 15 area is concerned, every year they have been trying to transgress and every year we push them to go back.”
The former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Gen. Singh said that the standoff in Pangong Tso, “China is trying to land some troops behind Finger-4, this they did for the first time. And the aim is clear – they want to push us from Finger 4. Our people, however, will take care of that.”
On the Chinese incursions, which has been reported by several newspapers to be at least 60 sq. kilometers in eastern Ladakh, Gen Singh said that “the LAC is an interpretation from a map given in 1959… the LAC is not marked on the ground, there is no agreement on it.”
Speaking of the Monday night, when the deadliest clash between two armies happened in nearly half a century and at least twenty Indian army personnel were killed (Indian army claimed both sides suffered casualties, however, China didn’t confirm any), Gen. Singh claimed that India got hold of “some people” — China’s People’s Liberation Army personnel.
“Where there are over 600 people just jostling, scuffling, pushing and hitting each other and in a dark night some people got separated; their people on our side and our people on their side,” said Gen. Singh. “But in the morning they were exchanged. I was told that one of their chaps said we have treated your people well and our chaps said we have also treated your people well. Matter ended there with no brouhaha about it.”
Amid the flaring up borders, calls to boycott Chinese goods and products have risen across the country. And Gen. Singh, too, said that the first thing that has been given out is to boycott Chinese goods, let’s start with this. “Let’s hurt them economically other things will follow,” he said. “War and use of force is the last resort always and every time. When all other means fail then you resort to this. There are many means available.”
The only thing that changed after the violent faceoff in Galwan Valley, Gen Singh, said is that “we knew they [China] were deceitful but they will engineer such a big deceit on us… it leads to loss of confidence. And we will think 10 times before believing them that they will do a particular thing. We will be more prepared for any eventuality that will follow.”
