00:00Can the minister confirm to this house that after the recent disengagement, all those
00:0726 patrolling points, which were ostensibly inaccessible, have become accessible?
00:15Whether the current disengagement, does it in any manner, is po facto, validate the 1959
00:24Chinese claim line?
00:25I gave a very detailed statement on the disengagement and recent developments in the India-China
00:31border area.
00:32I highlighted that the last of the disengagement agreements had taken place which pertained
00:39to Debsang and Demchok.
00:41Also would like to convey to the honourable member, it was in the statement as well, that
00:48the understanding envisages that Indian security forces would be going to all the patrolling
00:55points in Debsang.
00:59In the January of 2023, there was a paper written by a senior IPS officer, presented
01:07to the conference of Director Generals and Inspector Generals of Police.
01:11In that paper, it was pointed out that 26 out of the 65 patrolling points from Korakoram
01:20Pass to Chumar were inaccessible to the Indian security forces as a consequence of Chinese
01:27transgressions.
01:28This fact was never officially controverted by the government at any level.
01:33Can the minister confirm to this house that after the recent disengagement, all those
01:4026 patrolling points which were ostensibly inaccessible have become accessible?
01:47And number two, whether the current disengagement, does it in any manner, is po facto, validates
01:57the 1959 Chinese claim line?
02:02Sir, what somebody wrote as a paper is for that somebody to answer for.
02:10I can answer for the government.
02:13Now, let me, sir, through you, remind the honourable member, I gave a very detailed
02:22statement on the disengagement and recent developments in the India-China border areas.
02:29In that statement, I highlighted that the last of the disengagement agreements had taken
02:36place which pertained to Debsang and Demchowk.
02:39I also would like to convey to the honourable member, it was in the statement as well, that
02:47the understanding envisages that Indian security forces would be going to all the patrolling
02:55points in Debsang and would be going to the eastward limit which has historically been
03:03a patrolling limit in that part.
03:07We have also, in the same statement, made it clear that we have had some previous disengagement
03:12agreements.
03:15Those disengagement agreements also had certain provisions where both sides on a temporary
03:20basis had agreed to put certain restraints on themselves.
03:25So I think the position is very clear in that statement and I would urge the honourable
03:29member to read that statement again.
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