Not even an inch of Indian land occupied by China: Ladakh L-G BD Mishra

SRINAGAR: Contrary to the opposition’s claim, China has not occupied even an inch of the Indian land in eastern Ladakh, claimed the region’s Lieutenant Governor Brigadier (retired) B.D. Mishra.

While speaking to reporters during his visit to Jammu on Monday, Mishra strongly rejected the claim of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi that China has “taken away our land” in Ladakh and said that not a single square inch of the Indian land in the region is under the neighbouring country’s occupation.

He added, “Our troops are ready to give a befitting reply to anyone indulging in misadventure against our country.”

The Congress leader had during his visit to Ladakh last month said that everyone in Ladakh knows that China has “taken away our land” and that the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi's, claim that not an inch of land is occupied was “absolutely false”.

Gandhi had told a public meeting in Kargil on August 25, “I visited the whole of Ladakh on my motorcycle over the past week... Ladakh is a strategic place and when I was at Pangong lake, one thing was clear that China had taken over thousands of kilometers of Indian land. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister made a statement that not an inch of our land was taken away which is absolutely false."

When asked about the Congress leader’s claim, Mishra said, “I won’t comment on anybody’s statement but will say what is fact because I have myself been on the ground and know that there is not even one square inch of land which the Chinese have occupied.”

He added, “Whatsoever happened in 1962 that is immaterial. But today we are in occupation of our land to the last inch.”