MUMBAI: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar reiterated that everyone needed to stand behind the Indian military in light of the recent border standoff with China and that it is not the time to engage in petty politics.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar tweeted that as India's then defence minister, he had visited China in 1993 where it was discussed that no country would use weapons at the border.
“The proposal of no arm use was agreed by the defence minister of China and later it was also signed. Then, prime minister PV Narasimha Rao visited China and decided to implement this use of no arm agreement by both the countries,” Pawar said.
Pawar further explained that due to the no arm use agreement signed then, there is not any use of arms and ammunitions at the border but that however, has not stopped clashes from taking place, as was seen on June 15 when 20 Indian soldiers were martyred at the LAC.
“It is true that China is troubling us but our India has also given the befitting reply to them as well. This is not the time of politics,” Pawar tweeted, indirectly siding with PM Modi's stance over that of his Maha Vikaas Aghadi ally partner Rahul Gandhi's.
Pawar also said that Indian army has pushed back China’s military personnel after they realised their incursion inside India’s territory.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been constantly attacking and questioning the stand of Narendra Modi government in the centre over the incursion of China and death of 20 Indian soldiers.
Interestingly, earlier too in 2018, Pawar had supported PM Modi over the purchase of fighter jet Rafale but later took a reverse turn after drawing flak from political leaders Tariq Anwar who had tendered his resignation.