INDIA FRETS AND FUMES

The UPA Government on Friday shot off a strongly worded protest note to Beijing after it refused permission to one of its top commanders, Lt Gen B S Jaswal, to visit China because he comes from “ sensitive” Jammu and Kashmir.

The visit by a General- rank officer to China was agreed upon between the two countries in January during the Annual Defence Dialogue. However, at that time it was not decided as to who would be going.

In the worsening diplomatic row, India has also put on hold defence exchanges with China; however, New Delhi stopped short of snapping defence ties with its neighbour.

Retaliating against the Chinese action, the government also refused permission to two Chinese defence personnel who were slated to attend a course in the National Defence College here.

The MEA also summoned Chinese Ambassador to India Zhang ang to the External Affairs Ministry, where he was handed over four protest demarches. A demarche is a diplomatic way of protesting and conveying the government’s displeasure.

To make sure there was no ambiguity, ang was bluntly told that China’s decision to block northern area commander Lt.

General B S Jaswal’s visit to China despite his nomination by the Defence Ministry was the reason behind the Indian Army canceling a goodwill visit to Beijing. In Beijing, Colonel Jaishankar, the defence attache, too lodged an official protest with the Chinese defence ministry. Lt. Gen. Jaswal, General Officer Commanding- in- Chief of northern area, was to visit China this month as part of the regular highlevel military exchanges, but he could not make it as his visa application was stuck in the Chinese embassy here. Only when inquiries were made at the top level that Beijing said the army commander was “ not welcome” since he “ controlled” Jammu and Kashmir that Beijing considers as disputed.

While Defence Minister Antony played down the incident as not good enough for snapping defence ties, telling reporters in Hyderabad that “ short- term problems would not affect India’s overall approach towards China,” Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur, however, claimed in Delhi that “ the defence minister has taken a strong view” of the matter.

The Army is also up in arms but it is waiting for the government’s guidance on whether protocol for the border meetings should be continued. The army has been told that its anger has been conveyed to the Chinese government.

The Bhartiya Janata Party also slammed China. Its spokesman Prakash Javdekar said: “ This is the worst kind of insult inflicted upon India.

We strongly condemn the Chinese attitude and stand. The Ministry of External Affairs and the Government of India must immediately convey our displeasure.” He added that China has always fomented trouble in Arunachal Pradesh and they have now begun fishing in troubled waters in Kashmir. “ This is helping Pakistan.” Congress spokesperson Manish Tiwari said: “ The relationship has to be premised on mutual self- respect and sensibilities.” He said the External Affairs Ministry would react appropriately.