By RK Sinha
Enough is enough. We had given a long rope to China. We hoped that it will change and extend a friendly hand. It has not. Therefore, it is time to tell that country that thus far and no further. We have no more patience left. The government in Delhi seems to be thinking on the same line. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already said that the sacrifices of our soldiers will not go in vain. It was followed by cancellation of a major Railway contract and some other actions. If one looks back, one will find that China has not broken one protocol but far too many.
It was agreed in 1996 that all disputes in future would be settled peacefully and that fire arms will not be used within two kilometres of Line of Actual Control or LAC. China did not use firm arms to attack our soldiers. Rods and clubs studded with nail had hit our brave hearts. They had found an escape route which was used. Clearly, this kind of attack was intentional and preplanned. It is another matter that our jawans have given a befittig reply and, at the end, there were more casualties on the other side. Figures speak themselves. According to British and American media reports, at least 35 to 43 Chinese have lost their lives in combat.
The Galwan valley where that country has made massive deployment has witnessed many clashes in the past,though not so violent.There were only injuries and no casualty.The point is how long can we go on like this.We have to put a full stop.The recent utterance of our leaders and other countrymen are heartening,indeed.The country is outraged.At many places Chinese goods were burnt.Some trader associations have launched campaigns against China and asking people to boycott their goods which are mostly substandard.
It is not only the Indian companies but also foreign ones which have made complaints of adaptation.One South Korean manufacturers has got so angry that it has proposed to shift to India from that country.It was manufacturing television sets.It has done something else too.In Uttar Pradesh,for example, it was supplying power meters in the name of an Indonesian company though it was a subsidiary of a Chinese company.It had done it because the state had found the Chinese metres substandard and rejected them.
China has created tension inTaiwan,Hongonk as well as Vietnam.It was not satisfied.So,it turned its eyes to India.But it has to keep in mind that India of 2020 is not India of 1962 when it had captured a large part of our land.Now,that country cannot take away an inch of our land.If it tries,it will have to pay a heavy price.In the recent attack,16th Bihar Battalion Commanding Officer Colonel Santosh Babu was one of those killed.
There has been no physical figth after that but the country will have to be vigilant .It cannot trust China any more.Of course, there are enemies within the country too.These Jayachands have nothing against China.To create an anti-Modi environment in the country they can go to any extent,spread all kinds of rumours.The social media was flooded with stories against his policies instead of stories against Chinese misadventures.The PM has been presented as an enemy of Muslims. Someone should ask them to understand the delicacy of the situation.It is not the time to criticise or condemn the government but to unite and fight against the enemy of humanity.It is not difficult to understand in this light why this country has remained slave for hundreds of years.
Those who tried to politicise the issue deserve to be shamed.Some of them said, the martyred soldiers were from Bihar and that the BJP will take political advantage of it in the upcoming Bihar polls.These enemies within the country will have to be closely watched. Similarly, some so-called defense experts are engaged in belittling the Indian Army. I do not want to name them but they are presenting the clash between the two countries in such a way that indicates that the loss was suffered only by us.Sitting in Delhi,like Sanjay of Mahabharata, they are telling the story of the battlefield to the countrymen.The government has total control over the press in China.Therefore,Chinese number of actual dead soldiers has not been known.But it was much larger than our number.
The untold story
There was a stampede on the narrow ridge when our troops also arrived in large numbers.The Chinese were already there.More than 50 Chinese army soldiers fell down into the ravine after the rocks gave way. It is not being told.Chinese soldiers also suffered significant losses in violent clashes.Several Chinese ambulances had arrived at the site.Chinese helicopters were seen hovering around . In messages sent to the base camp by Chinese helicopters 43 deaths were reported.The number could go up.Some of them who had fallen might have also died.The World should also know that our youth are physically very strong and our army jawans are better than China in battle over mountains.China should not expect our jawans to surrender easily.
To tell you the latest story,Company Commanders of forward posts all along the border have been ordered to take immediate retaliatory action if there is any action by China. The army has increased its strength and its movement on Leh and other borders. At the same time the Ladakh units have been asked to stay there. The army has ordered its units stationed in the vicinity of Ladakh to be ready to move to Leh at a short notice.Units in Jammu and Kashmir can move to Leh any time.
As far as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is concerned,he has given a clear message by saying that,Na Chhedenge,Na Chodenge.There is no ambuiguity.It is loud and clear.If you cross the limit,you will get a befitting reply.The surprise lies else where.No country has so far openly condemned the Chinese action.It is here that the absence of leaders like John F. Kennedy is felt and we feel alone. He had come out in open support of India and threatened China.That had played its part and led to an early end to the Indo-China war in1962.We badly miss him.
( The writer is a Senior Editor,Columnist and former MP)
