Chinese army and some civilians have entered on the other side of the Sindu river in the Demchuk region of Ladakh, and displayed banners and Chinese flag in protest when Indian villagers were celebrating the birthday of the Dalai Lama.
“The incident happened on July 6 at Doley Tango near Koyul which is around 30 kilometers southeast of Demchok,” a report by News18 quoted said quoting sources.
On social media, videos have surfaced in which China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) can be seen standing across river Indus with banners. Another video shows villagers holding the Dalai Lama’s portrait atop a vehicle as a small cavalcade rally around the village.
Quoting officials the report said while the festivities were on, the Chinese kept a vigil from distance and conveyed their objection. “They didn’t enter the village but did transgress a bit into Indian territory,” an official told News18.
According to reports, Chinese troops stayed on the Indian territory for about 30 minutes. At least five vehicles can be seen in the video. Locals said Chinese troops were accompanied by civilians.
Last week, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi had greeted the Dalai Lama on his 86th birthday. After becoming the Prime Minister in 2014, this is the first time Narendra Modi has openly confirmed communicating with the Dalai Lama.
Pertinently, India and China have been locked in a dispute over eastern Ladakh since the Galwan incident of June 2020. Two sides have had 11 rounds of military talks to resolve the eastern Ladakh flashpoints but friction points remain over Gogra, Hot springs, Demchok, and Depsang.
