press trust of india
New Delhi, July 31: Chinese troops entered one km into Indian territory and threatened shepherds grazing cattle in the Barahoti area of Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, officials said Monday.
The transgression took place on the morning of July 25 when a group of shepherds was asked to vacate the land by troops of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), officials in the know said on the condition of anonymity.
The incident comes in the backdrop of a prolonged standoff between Chinese and Indian troops at Dokalam near Sikkim.
Barahoti, an 80 sq km sloping pasture about 140 km from the Uttarakhand capital Dehradun, is one of three border posts in what is known the ‘middle sector’, comprising Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
It is a demilitarised zone where Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) jawans are not allowed to take their weapons, officials said.
In 1958, India and China listed Barahoti as a disputed area where neither side would send their troops. In the 1962 war, the PLA did not enter the middle sector and focused on the western (Ladakh) and eastern (Arunachal Pradesh) sectors.
After the war, ITBP jawans would patrol the area with weapons in a non-combative manner – with with the barrel of the gun facing down.
During negotiations on resolving the border dispute, the Indian side unilaterally agreed in June 2000 that ITBP troops would not carry arms in three posts, Barahoti and Kauril and Shipki in Himachal Pradesh.
ITBP men go patrolling in civil dress and the Barahoti pasture sees Indian shepherds from border villages tending their sheep and people from Tibet bringing their yaks for grazing.
While the Indian Army has refused to comment on the latest incident, an official said that transgressions occur due to different perceptions of the boundary.
Meanwhile, a rising China is faced with increasing external uncertainties, a Chinese daily said on Monday, adding the country’s “rapidly developing power … allows us to find more solutions to problems”.
“With a stronger nation and military than ever, China has come to a new historic point with a greater mission,” the Global Times said in an editorial.
“It faces comprehensive internal reforms and external challenges. In complicated times, the PLA (People’s Liberation Army) provides strategic stability to this country.”
The daily said the Chinese people “should look to ourselves as the main source of stability and certainty.
“Solving both internal and external problems depends on our willpower and wisdom. China is a rapidly developing power. This allows us to find more solutions to problems. As more problems emerge, making decisions is much more difficult than ever.
“China must not be spineless or reckless. It needs to be steadfast and level-headed.”
The editorial went on: “While leaders of other countries do everything to look witty and eloquent in front of the camera, a Chinese leader is devoted to real work. It’s clear who knows his country, unites the people and inspires the military.
“…Having a brilliant leader is often a crucial factor in deciding a country’s fate.”
