"It's not 1962 anymore": Arunachal CM reacts to Tawang face-off

ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Tuesday, reacting to the Tawang face-off, said that India's soldiers would give a befitting reply to anyone who "tries to transgress" the Line of Actual Control.

Khandu said that the Yangtse area of the Tawang sector where the face-off took place between the Indian and Chinese troops took place on December 9, comes under his constituency and he meets the Jawans and villagers of the area every year.

In a stern warning, the Chief Minister recalled the 1962 war in which India was attacked by the Chinese Army and said that anyone who attempts to transgress, Indian soldiers will give a "befitting reply". In 1962, China had invaded India in Ladakh, and across the McMahon Line in the then North-East Frontier Agency.

"Yangtse is under my assembly constituency & every year I meet the Jawans & villagers of the area. It's not 1962 anymore. If anyone tries to transgress, our brave soldiers will give a befitting reply," Khandu tweeted quoting Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's tweet in which he was briefing the Rajya Sabha earlier today on the Tawang situation.

Hailing the soldiers, Khandu said, "Our brave Indian Army is not answering brick with stone, our brave Indian army is answering brick with iron."

Earlier today. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh informed the Rajya Sabha that China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops tried to transgress the Line of Actual Control in the Yangtse area of Arunachal Pradesh Tawang Sector and unilaterally change the status quo but they went back to their locations due to timely intervention of Indian military commanders.

Giving a statement in the Rajya Sabha, the Defence Minister assured the Upper House that "our forces are committed to protecting our territorial integrity and will continue to thwart any attempt made on it".

Singh also displayed confidence that "this entire House will stand united in supporting our soldiers in the brave effort."

Explaining the incident, the Minister said: "I would like to brief this august House about an incident on our border in Tawang Sector of Arunachal Pradesh on December 9, 2022."

"On December 9, 2022, PLA troops tried to transgress the LAC in Yangtse area of Tawang Sector and unilaterally change the status quo. The Chinese attempt was contested by our troops in a firm and resolute manner. The ensuing face-off led to a physical scuffle in which the Indian Army bravely prevented the PLA from transgressing into our territory and compelled them to return to their posts," said Singh.

He further said "the scuffle led to injuries to a few personnel on both sides", and clarified that "there are no fatalities or serious casualties on our side".

"Due to timely intervention of Indian military commanders, PLA soldiers went back to their locations," Singh said.

As a follow-up of the incident, the Minister further said, local commander in the area held a "flag meeting with his counterpart on December 11, 2022 to discuss the issue in accordance with established mechanisms".

"The Chinese side was asked to refrain from such actions and maintain peace and tranquility along the border. The issue has also been taken up with the Chinese side through diplomatic channels," Singh said.

The Minister also assured the House that "our forces are committed to protecting our territorial integrity and will continue to thwart any attempt made on it".

"I am confident that this entire House will stand united in supporting our soldiers in their brave effort," the Minister added.

The clash near Yangtse along the LAC in the sensitive sector took place last Friday amid the over 30-month border standoff between the two sides in eastern Ladakh.

"On December 9, PLA troops contacted the LAC in Tawang Sector which was contested by own (Indian) troops in a firm and resolute manner. This face-off led to minor injuries to few personnel from both sides," the Indian Army has said in a statement.

"Both sides immediately disengaged from the area. As a follow up of the incident, own (Indian) commander in the area held a flag meeting with his counterpart to discuss the issue in accordance with structured mechanisms to restore peace and tranquillity," it said.