Ahead of Xi Jinping's visit, Chinese civilians intrude into Ladakh area in government vehicles

Leh/New Delhi: Ahead of President Xi Jinping's visit, Chinese civilians in government vehicles have entered Indian territory in Demchok in Ladakh and are preventing locals from working on an irrigation project there.

The Indian government sought to downplay the reports while maintaining that the boundary question would be discussed with the Chinese side.

Read: With eye on China, India to develop disputed border region

"This is true that for the last one week, China is objecting and protesting against the work on an irrigation project in Demchok village which is close to the Line of Actual Control along with China border," Leh deputy commissioner Simrandeep Singh said.

He made these comments in the wake of reports that the Chinese army had entered Indian territory and stopped the local villagers from work on the irrigation project under the NREGA scheme.

Singh said the Chinese civilians from a village across the LAC called 'Toshigang' were brought in government vehicles in large numbers to prevent the locals from working on the project.

Read: Chinese military acknowledges 2013 Ladakh incursion

Asked to comment on the issue, external affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said the "brave sentinels" on the border will address any issue that happens on the border. Whatever happens there, they will handle it, he said.

Regarding issues on the table, Akbaruddin said the unresolved issues including the boundary question and questions about the media reports would be addressed.

Meanwhile, the Army refused to comment on the media reports about the villagers.

Read: China’s PLA tries to intrude into Ladakh, pushed back by Indian security personnel

A brigadier-level flag meeting was held in Chushul earlier on Monday where the issues of incursions and face-offs are learnt to have been raised by the Indian side.

Sources in the Army headquarters said the meeting was scheduled earlier and had nothing to do with any specific incident.

Speaking on the issue, Ladakh's BJP MP Thupstan Chewang said the condition of the region is "not very good, especially in the areas along the border".

He demanded that the matter should be raised strongly with the Chinese President during his visit starting Wednesday and India should not move back in any way on the issue.

"I will request both the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister to deal strongly with the issue," he said.

The BJP MP said that Demchok and Chushul are very important areas. He alleged that the Chinese were trying to capture it and said that India should fight against it.