As the situation along the Sino-India border remains tense following the clash in Galwan Valley which led to the death of 20 Indian soldiers and a number of Chinese casualties, the domestic politics over it has begun. The opposition parties, especially the Congress, have raised several questions over the whole incident. While addressing the all-party meet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi first claimed that Chinese had not encroached on Indian territory. This statement deeply angered the nation. However, there was clarification later on, with the PMO calling it “mischievous interpretation” of the statement. This actually sums up the communication failure of government over the Galwan incident.
There is no clarity on the whole incident. Access to information on the recent India-China altercations has been, as always, via “highly placed sources” or selective, monitored leaks of satellite pictures and information by such “highly placed sources.” The government ministers have given conflicting statements. The statement of the PM created further confusion. China has largely maintained silence and the country’s official media have not reported the Galwan Valley incident or the casualties. It seems that China wants to keep the issue low-key, keep the doors open for diplomatic and political rapprochement, and manage domestic sentiment in case things go wrong. The Chinese approach is on expected line. That is how the communist regime has worked over the years in China. But India has always been open about the issues confronting the nation. Some of the information may be classified, but by trying to hide information on the Galwan incident the government is only harming its own image, and that of the nation.