Antony briefs President Mukherjee on Chinese incursions

Mangalore Today/CNN-IBN

New Delhi, May 4: Defence Minister AK Antony on Saturday informed President Pranab Mukherjee about the measures taken by the Government to resolve the issue of incursion by Chinese soldiers into Indian territory in Ladakh where they have pitched tents in Daulat Beg Oldi area. The President, who is also the supreme commander of the armed forces, was briefed by the Defence Minister on the incursion issue and the steps taken by the armed forces to tackle the situation, Government sources said in Delhi.

 

The briefing by Antony comes a day after a BJP-led NDA delegation met the President to express concern over Chinese incursions into Ladakh along with the manner in which the case of Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh was handled by the government. The delegation led by NDA Working Chairperson LK Advani had also submitted a memorandum seeking his intervention on the two issues. Antony briefed the President about the present ground situation and the preparations made by the forces to check any such incident along the Line of Actual Control with China.

Chinese soldiers have pitched their tents in the DBO area since April 15, 2013 and have refused to vacate the positions in the three failed flag meetings held between the two sides to resolve the issue. The Chinese side has blamed Indian construction of infrastructure including bunkers and air-fields for provoking the situation but Antony has taken a tough stand saying it was not created by India and the country would take all possible actions to safeguard its interests. China has maintained that if India dismantles its infrastructure there and then, it may consider India’s requests.