China row: BJP says UPA inactive, Left warns against 145;provocation146;

With China making fresh claims on Indian soil at the northernmost tip of Sikkim, the BJP on Sunday hit out strongly at the Congress-led UPA government...

With China making fresh claims on Indian soil at the northernmost tip of Sikkim, the BJP on Sunday hit out strongly at the Congress-led UPA government for 8220;not doing enough8221; to check the 8220;expansionist designs8221; of China.

While the Indian Government struck a more reconciliatory note despite China8217;s stridency on the issue, the ruling Congress sought to distance itself as it said there was no 8220;question of any territorial claims8221; since that had been resolved decades ago.

The Left, on its part, said both countries should not take 8220;provocative steps8221; while the talks on border dispute are still underway.

The BJP 8212; a day after The Sunday Express reported on the Chinese fresh claims and troop entry into the 8220;finger area8221; which is the northernmost tip of Sikkim 8212; slammed the Left-backed, Congress-led UPA Government. 8220;First it was Arunachal Pradesh, and now it8217;s Sikkim. We would like the Union Government to tell us what it is doing to check the increasing and frequent Chinese incursions on the Indian side,8221; said BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Former External Affairs Minister and senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha, too, reacted strongly to the incursion. 8220;The UPA Government has been supine in the face of the growing Chinese threat. The Government has allowed domestic politics, with the disproportionate influence of CPM, to influence its foreign policy.8221;

The Government sources shared their concern at the Chinese claims, especially in the finger area, since 8220;it is a demarcated area8221; since 1890. 8220;Patrols have crossed traditionally, since 19598212;- they have crossed the line, even our patrolling teams have crossed. There8217;s a system to sort it out at the ground level. We would like this to be sorted out there, and if it8217;s not possible there, it will be taken up at a suitably higher level.8221;

Congress party spokesperson Manish Tewari said it would be appropriated if the Ministry of External Affairs or the Ministry of Defence commented on it. 8220;As far as we are concerned, as we understand, Sikkim was integrated into India in 1974 in consonance with the wishes of the Sikkimese people. There were never any outstanding issues between the erstwhile Princely State of Sikkim and the People8217;s Republic of China. China recognized unconditionally the integration of Sikkim into India. Therefore, the question of any territorial claims, if made at all, does not exist.8221;

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CPI National Secretary D Raja said, 8220;There are some border disputes between the two countries and talks are taking place to resolve them. Let us hope both sides reasonably settle the dispute. No sides should take any provocative steps when the talks are on.8221;

However, BJP led the charge against the Left-backed, Congress-led UPA8217;s ruling coalition, as Ravi Shankar Prasad said, 8220;During former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee8217;s visit, China had recognized Sikkim as an integral part of India. How are they then laying claim on Finger Area? How come the Chinese ambassador has not been summoned so far? And why hasn8217;t the Union Government lodged a formal protest as yet.8221;

Yashwant Sinha too joined the BJP8217;s strident criticism of the government8217;s attitude. 8220;We should have given them a proper response on Arunachal Pradesh, their summoning our ambassador at 2 am, and even issues that embarrass the Chinese, like Tibet. The Chinese, however, think that they can needle India at will and get away with it, because it8217;s the UPA Government at the helm,8221; Sinha added.