Xi inspects combat readiness of troops stationed along India-China border in eastern Ladakh
Beijing, Jan 20: Chinese President Xi Jinping has held a video conversation with the soldiers stationed along the India-China border in eastern Ladakh and inspected their combat readiness, official media here reported on Friday.
Xi addressed the troops from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) headquarters here on the border defence situation in Khunjerab under the Xinjiang Military Command.
Xi, who is also general secretary of the ruling Communist Party of China and the commander-in-chief of the PLA, in his remarks to the troops, referred to how "in recent years, the area has been constantly changing" and how it had impacted the Army, according to the video shown in the official media.
During the call, he "inspected their combat readiness", the report said.
One of the soldiers replied that they were now carrying out "dynamic" and "24-hour" monitoring of the border.
Xi asked about their condition and whether they were able to "receive fresh vegetables" in the inhospitable terrain.
The official media reported Xi had asked the border troops "about their border patrol and management work" and "hailed the soldiers as models of border defence and encouraged them to persist in their efforts and make new contributions."
Eastern Ladakh is the region where a standoff erupted on May 5, 2020 between India and China following a violent clash in the Pangong lake area.
The two sides have held 17 rounds of high-level military talks on the eastern Ladakh border standoff but there was no significant forward movement in resolution of the remaining issues.
India has asserted that peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) are essential for overall development of bilateral relationship with China.
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Waqf Bill anti-secular, will snatch rights of Muslims: Mamata Banerjee
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday described the Waqf (Amendment) Bill as “anti-secular”, claiming that it would snatch the rights of Muslims.
Banerjee, speaking in the assembly, also said the Centre did not consult with states over the matter.
“The bill is anti-federal and anti-secular; it is a deliberate attempt to malign a particular section. It will snatch the rights of Muslims... The Centre did not consult with us on the Waqf Bill,” she said.
The chief minister added that “if any religion was attacked”, she would wholeheartedly condemn it.
Opposition parties have stridently criticised the amendments proposed by the bill in the existing Waqf Act, alleging that they violate the religious rights of Muslims.
The ruling BJP has asserted that the amendments will bring transparency in the functioning of the Waqf boards and make them accountable.
A parliamentary committee has been constituted to scrutinise the contentious bill.
