Amid the LAC standoff with India, China is being seen illegally occupying Bhutanese territory where it has reportedly constructed new villages close to the Doklam Plateau. New satellite images show that multiple new villages have come up over the 100 square kilometers area in the Bhutanese territory since the previous year.

Doklam is an area of 100 sq.km comprising a plateau and a valley at the tri-junction between India, China and Bhutan. It is circled by the Chumbi Valley of Tibet, Bhutan’s Ha Valley and India’s Sikkim.

The satellite images indicate the construction of four villages, built by China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in about 100 sq.km. area between May 2020 and November 2021.

Last month, China and Bhutan signed a pact on a three-step roadmap to resolve their boundary disputes. In response, India said that “it has noted the development”.

Boundary negotiations between Bhutan and China began in 1984 and the two sides have held 24 rounds of boundary talks and 10 rounds of meeting at the expert group level.

Meanwhile, the Congress accused the BJP-led government on Thursday of compromising national security and India’s territorial integrity and questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on new Chinese villages coming up near the Doklam Plateau.

At a press conference in New Delhi, Congress spokesperson Gourav Vallabh said, "Why are we tolerating this all-round aggression from China and doing absolutely nothing about it? We urge the Prime Minister not to hide behind smokescreens and answer to the people."

The Modi government’s unpardonable, blatant and brazen compromise of national security and India’s territorial integrity stands exposed once again. The Prime Minister and the Defence Minister have undermined the astounding valour and insurmountable grit of our armed forces, who faced the Chinese incursions and aggressions with indomitable courage and sacrifice,” Vallabh said.

Congress general secretary and chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also shared the satellite images on Twitter and said, “100 Square KMs of ‘land grab’ and illegal incursion and setting four new villages by China in Bhutan, next to Doklam is a blow to India’s national security. This happened between May-Nov 2021.” “Why is PM ‘mum’? Who will defend National Security?” he asked.

Vallabh said the new construction on Bhutanese soil is particularly worrying for India since the country has historically advised Bhutan on its external relations policy and continues to train its armed forces.

“Why is the Modi government compromising our territorial integrity?” he asked. 

“Why is the Modi government disrespecting and dishonouring the sacrifice of our brave soldiers? When will the Modi government respond to this verbal, geographic, military and strategic aggression of China?”

Vallabh also alleged that over the last 18 months, the government has compromised India’s security vis-a-vis the dominant positions of the armed forces in the Kailash ranges and undermined the country’s territorial integrity by withdrawing the forces from Finger 4 to Finger 3 on the north bank of the Pangong lake.

Image courtesy: IANS