News
Situation critical in Ladakh after PLA’s moves in Chushul, says India
BY S VENKAT NARAYAN
Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI, September 1:
The situation in East Ladakh continues to remain tense along the India-China border in eastern Ladakh. The Indian Army is matching the heavy weapon posturing of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on Monday after pre-empting the Chinese from moving into the dominating heights south of Pangong Tso on August 29-30 night, people familiar with the development said.
“The situation is very tense in the Chushul area with the PLA fully in aggressive mode and show-casing heavy-calibre weapons to force the Indian Army to give in. The Indian Army has also matched weapons and blunted the Chinese offensive both at south of Pangong Tso and Rezang La by a counter-offensive mounted by the Special Frontier Forces,” a senior military official told the Hindustan Times.
As of now, both the armies are matching each other in strength with the Indian Army present in strength to repel any Chinese aggression along the 1,597-km Line of Control (LAC) in Ladakh.
The Indian counter-offensive has ensured that its troops are now dominating heights along its side of the LAC and monitoring the Chinese movement. “The situation is dire and the possibility of escalation cannot be ruled out as Chinese PLA under instructions from Beijing is going all out to push the Indian Army,” said a second senior military commander.
Military-to-military and diplomatic channels are open between the two countries, but India is now facing China, which believes that it is a global superpower and wants to make its posturing in Ladakh to send a message to its adversaries elsewhere.
“The Chinese President is in the Middle-Kingdom mode and will continue to deepen the difference on the LAC. China is deliberately trying to push the Indian Army into reaction without caring a damn that this might lead to serious blood-letting. The Chinese aggressive posture will continue till the November 3 US Presidential elections as there is no other country which is willing to take on Beijing,” said a China watcher here.
There is a glimmer of hope for peace if the meeting between Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi happens on the side-lines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) ministerial meeting in Moscow during September 9-11. But any further escalation from the PLA will end up scuttling any diplomatic initiative.
Even as the PLA aggression in Ladakh is on, national security planners in Delhi are monitoring all moves with clear-cut directions that there should be no territorial compromise in Ladakh or anywhere along the 3,488-km LAC.
The High Court has convicted 14 of the 24 men accused of being directly involved in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which killed 279 people.
The three-judge bench read out its decision on Tuesday after a five-year trial and said sentencing would take place later, the AFP news agency reported.
The charges included murder and conspiracy to commit terrorism.
Nine others were acquitted, while another defendant was found guilty of only some of the charges, the court said.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The ruling NPP yesterday (21) dismissed claims of a widening rift, within the government, over the proposed 22nd Amendment. Asked whether the NPP was concerned over a section of the Opposition alleging Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and two dozen MPs taking a view contrary to that of the party in this regard, authoritative party sources said some persons were propagating speculation for their own interest.
Declaring that there was absolutely no issue regarding the controversial Amendment, sources emphasised once it was tabled in Parliament, it would be passed with 2/3 majority.
Sources dismissed claims that out of its 159-member parliamentary group a section of NPPers was opposed to the government move. According to an influential Opposition activist, there are 57 JVPers and 66 NPPers in the government group and the rest contested the last parliamentary polls, having aligned with the JVP.
Ministerial sources told The Island that the government was confident of going ahead with the 22nd Amendment and Judicature (Amendment) Bills. Sources said that the NPP was not bothered about the Opposition protests in and outside Parliament.
Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickremaratne is expected to disclose the confidential ruling that he received from the Supreme Court in respect of more than 65 petitions for and against the 22nd Amendment and Judicial Amendment Bills. The enactment of the 22nd Amendment would pave the way for extending the retirement age of Supreme Court judges, from 65 to 67 years, and Court of Appeal judges, from 63 to 65 years.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed Court of Appeal Judge Mayadunna Sri Mevan Anthony Edirimannasuriya Corea as the Acting President of the Court of Appeal.
The appointment has been made as President’s Counsel Nalin Rohantha Abeysuriya, who currently serves as President of the Court of Appeal, will be overseas until the 24th.
Accordingly Justice Mayadunna Corea was sworn in as Acting President of the Court of Appeal before President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential secretariat last morning (21).
Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake was also present at the occasion.
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Showers about 100mm will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-western provinces and in Galle and Matara Districts
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