By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, FEB 12, 2021: AFTER Congress accused the government of compromising national security by ceding territory to China between Fingers 3 and 4 in Eastern Ladakh, the Defence Ministry denied the allegations on Friday.

Talking about the ongoing disengagement following the LAC standoff along the Pangong Tso Lake, the ministry on Friday reiterated that the "factual position" remains that India has not conceded any territory as a result of agreement with China.

"The assertion that Indian territory is up to Finger 4 is categorically false… Even the Line of Actual Control (LAC), as per the Indian perception, is at Finger 8, not at Finger 4," it said.

"That is why India has persistently maintained the right to patrol up to Finger 8, including in the current understanding with China," added the ministry, in the wake of Congress leader Mr Rahul Gandhi's comments earlier in the day.

Mr Gandhi claimed that Finger 4 is Indian territory and India has ceded the land where the former post "used to be" by moving to Finger 3.

"The government position at the beginning of the LAC standoff was status quo ante as of April 2020. Now, sheepishly the Defence Minister comes and makes a statement and we find that the Indian troops are going to be stationed at Finger 3. Indian territory was till Finger 4. Why has the PM ceded the land between Fingers 3 and 4 to the Chinese?" he had questioned.

Congress chief spokesperson and General Secretary Mr Randeep Surjewala also alleged the government had failed at providing national security and India's territorial integrity on Thursday.

The Defence Ministry on Friday replied, "India has not conceded any territory as a result of this agreement. On the contrary, it has enforced observance and respect for LAC and prevented any unilateral change in the status quo."

Defence Minister Mr Rajnath Singh told the Parliament that India and China have agreed for disengagement in the north and south bank of Pangong Tso Lake ceasing forward deployment of troops since Wednesday.

Permanent posts of both sides at the north bank of Pangong Tso are longstanding and well-established with Dhan Singh Thapa Post near Finger 3 belonging to India and the Chinese side, east of Finger 8.

He also made clear that there are outstanding problems to be addressed, including at Hot Springs, Gogra and Depsang which will be taken up withing 48 hours of the completion of the disengagement.