Concern in LS over Chinese incursion

UPA ally Samajwadi Party objects to Khurshid's visit to Beijing

Members in the Lok Sabha today voiced concern over intrusion by Chinese troops in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir, with crucial UPA ally Samajwadi Party objecting to the upcoming visit of External Minister Salman Khurshid to Beijing.

Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav took the lead in targeting the government for "doing nothing" and alleged that it was acting in a "cowardly" manner in dealing with the intrusion.

Describing China as the "biggest enemy", the former Defence Minister said during Zero Hour, "We have been warning that China has started occupying our territory. But government is not listening to all this."

He said the Indian Army has said it is ready to remove all intruders but there is no action.

"This government is cowardly, incompetent and good for nothing," he said, while objecting to the upcoming visit of Khurshid to China.

Khurshid is scheduled to travel to Beijing on May 9 in connection with preparations for Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visit here next month.

Amid continuous slogan-shouting by BJP members in the Well over coal issue, Yadav said he had raised the issue several times with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Defence Minister A K Antony, but to no avail. "I went to his (PM's) chamber to talk to him. But no action was taken."

Claiming that one lakh square km of Indian territory has been "occupied" by China, he accused the government of "doing nothing".

"When the Army chief himself says the troops are ready to respond, why is the government not issuing instructions to it? They (China) insulted us in 1962. They are insulting us now in the world fora," Yadav said.

He was supported by B Mahtab (BJD) and Sudip Bandyopadhyay (TMC), who demanded a statement from the Prime Minister on the incursion on April 16 by Chinese troops who have pitched tents 19 km inside Indian territory in Daulat Beg Oldie area.

The SP chief said after the 1962 war, it was decided that till China moved away from "every inch of our land, we will not hold any talk with them. But now a Minister is going to China to hold discussions."

Demanding that the House be briefed about the situation, Yadav said while the government had not taken any step to check the intrusion, "with a heavy heart I have to say that even the Chair has not directed the government to act."

Describing China as "our biggest enemy", he said, "The threat from China is greater than Pakistan."

Supporting Yadav, Mahtab and Bandyopadhyay sought immediate statement from the Prime Minister on the ground situation in the Ladakh.

They also said urgent steps should be be taken to prevent such intrusions by the Chinese People's Liberation Army.