New Delhi: A day after a group of shepherds in Ladakh were stopped by Chinese soldiers from grazing sheep near the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday denied commenting on the issue saying the "matter is not concerned with the MEA". However, the ministry maintained that it was aware of the video which recently went viral on social media platforms. While addressing a weekly press conference in New Delhi, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said there has been a mechanism to deal with these kinds of issues and suggested the media persons in the hall to ask the question to the relevant authority.
VIDEO: Chinese soldiers stopping Indian herders in Ladakh
"We have seen one such video. The relevant agencies will be able to answer this...People of both countries are well aware of their areas of grazing. We have a mechanism to deal with it..." MEA spokesperson said. Notably, he was referring the media persons to ask the Defence Ministry as the matter was related to the border issue between India and China.
The latest confrontation between the Chinese soldiers and Indian civilians came more than a year after the troops of both countries indulged in the border region in Arunachal Pradesh. However, the tension reached its zenith when 20 Indian soldiers were killed following a clash between Indian armed forces and PLA in June 2020.
What happened in Ladakh
A video of the exchange between local shepherds and Chinese soldiers on January 2 has gone viral on social media, winning hearts from all corners of the nation. According to reports, the shepherds had stopped grazing in the land after the Galwan Valley clash in 2020 but resumed their activities as it was essential for local nomads.
The video shows several Chinese armoured vehicles and soldiers on the spot, signalling the shepherds to leave. However, the locals refused to leave and argued with the soldiers that they were grazing on Indian land. Some shepherds also picked up stones to attack the soldiers in case of an altercation, although violence between the two sides was not seen in the video.
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