New Delhi, January 18
The Indian Army does not seem to share fears expressed by the Civil Administration in Jammu and Kashmir that China was grabbing land in Ladakh along the Line of Control. Rather it threatens to blow it up as a tussle between the forces and civil side.
Sources said the national policy of what China or India were doing at the LAC is not decided at the level of a Brigadier or a Colonel- the two officers who were present at the meeting with Leh Commissioner AK Sahu. It is also not decided at the level of a Divisional commissioner, a senior officer said while adding the forces do not subscribe to the theory of the Civil Administration. The reports indicating China’s interest to expand its boundary up to the right bank of the Indus were not correct, said the Army sources.
Just three days ago, the Indian Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor, while talking to reporters on sidelines of the Army Day function had said “our officers were present at the meeting with the civil administration, however, they did not concur with the perception of the civil administration on China expanding across the LOC”.
General Kapoor on being asked how name of the Brigadier and the Colonel were being taken by the Civil Administration, had said the two officers were present, but no issue on China has their nod and nor was any such matter brought up during their presence. Last week, a Jammu and Kashmir government report had said India had lost “substantial” amount of land to China in the Ladakh along the Line of Control. Besides Gen Deepak Kapoor, The Indian Defence Minister AK Antony also differed with the report saying “There is no change in the LAC”.
Antony, had visited the Jammu and Kashmir last week and on coming back had said people of both sides of the LAC keep coming in and going back. The position explained by the Army commander and in the meeting nobody (civil side or intelligence agencies) had expressed a different view. The LAC is not demarcated on the ground hence shepherds on both sides often cross over.
Commissioner Leh AK Sahu had been quoted in the media saying “It is clear and be accepted that we are withdrawing from LAC and our area has shrunk over a period of time. Though this process is very slow, but we have lost substantial amount of land in 20-25 years.” Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary SS Kapoor has been quoted by news agencies as having said the state establishment did not agree with the Army’s perception.
