New Delhi : Congress MP Manish Tewari on Thursday gave an adjournment notice in Lok Sabha for a discussion on the border situation with China. In the adjournment notice, Tewari said, "This House does suspend Zero Hour and other businesses of the day to have a detailed discussion on the border situation with China. Since April 2020, China has engaged in what can only be described as a steady land grab. Seventeen rounds of Commander level talks have taken place between India and China with little success."
"All the while China continues to build significant infrastructure, including bridges, roads, and accommodation for its troops. China is attempting to unilaterally change the status quo," he added. "The clashes in the Tawang Sector in Arunachal Pradesh were another indication of China''s steady aggression aimed at changing the status quo on the border. What is more, such aggression is no longer limited in territorial scope as is evidenced by the clashes that took place in Arunachal Pradesh, around 2000 Kilometers away from the place of previous clashes. There is growing concern that China is unwilling to restore the status quo ante, a situation that puts India at a massive disadvantage," he stated.
He further said, China's large trade surplus has continued to surge since the military confrontations began in 2020. The trade deficit for India stood at USD 101.02 billion, crossing the 2021 figure of USD 69.38 billion, he added.
"I urge the Government to take this matter with utmost seriousness and have a detailed discussion in Parliament with regard to the border situation with China," he said in the notice. In December 2020, a clash took place near Yangtse along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the sensitive Tawang sector amid the over 30-month border standoff between India and China in eastern Ladakh.
Parliament will meet at 11 am today. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar has called a meeting of floor leaders at 10 am on Thursday, to break the logjam in the Parliament. On Wednesday, Congress indicated that a way to end the impasse in Parliament is to allow Rahul Gandhi to respond to BJP allegations. The party, however, said that there will be no compromise on the demand of several opposition parties for JPC on the Hindenburg-Adani row.
Amid a series of disruptions in the Parliament, both houses of Parliament were adjourned on Wednesday. The parliament has not been able to conduct any substantial business amid repeated logjams, with the BJP seeking an apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks in the United Kingdom and several opposition parties seeking Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Hindenburg-Adani row. The Budget session commenced on March 13 and will conclude on April 6.