Get the facts straight: Jaishankar slams Rahul over his tweet of sending 'unarmed soldiers to martyrdom'
New Delhi/IBNS: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has strongly reacted to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's tweet over sending 'soldiers unarmed to martyrdom' in the brutal clash with China at Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on Monday night, asking the opposition leader to get his 'facts straight.'
In a sharp rebuttal to Rahul's tweet, Jaishankar replied: "Let us get the facts straight. All troops on border duty always carry arms, especially when leaving post. Those at Galwan on 15 June did so. Long-standing practice (as per 1996 & 2005 agreements) not to use firearms during faceoffs."
Earlier on Thursday, Rahul tweeted: "How dare China kill our UNARMED soldiers?Why were our soldiers sent UNARMED to martyrdom?"
Let us get the facts straight.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) June 18, 2020
All troops on border duty always carry arms, especially when leaving post. Those at Galwan on 15 June did so. Long-standing practice (as per 1996 & 2005 agreements) not to use firearms during faceoffs. https://t.co/VrAq0LmADp
Meanwhile, the Army officials on Thursday said all the Indian soldiers who were involved in a deadly clash with the Chinese military at Galwan Valley on Jun 15 night have now been accounted for, media reports said.
The clarification came amid the reports claiming several Indian soldiers are still in the custody of the Chinese Army.
More than four decades after the last fatality occurred during a conflict at the India-China border, at least 20 Indian personnel were killed in the conflict with the Chinese military at the Galwan Valley, which is close to Aksai Chin, an area that is controlled by China but claimed by both the countries.
In a strong reaction to the violent standoff, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said his nation wants peace but can give a befitting reply, if instigated.
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.
