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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UP Cong holds statewide protest seeking probe into FIR against Swami Avimukteshwaranand
Lucknow (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh Congress on Wednesday staged a statewide protest demanding a fair and transparent inquiry into the FIR lodged against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and those who filed the complaint against him.
In a statement issued here, the party said memorandums addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were submitted through district magistrates in all districts of the state.
Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi told PTI that the memorandums were handed over through the district administration in all 75 districts.
In the memorandum, the party alleged that Saraswati and his disciples were "unnecessarily harassed and humiliated" by police on the occasion of Amavasya and were prevented from taking a ritual bath (at the Magh Mela). It further alleged that some disciples were manhandled and taken to a police station.
The memorandum also claimed that an FIR was later registered against Saraswati, his disciple Swami Mukundanand Brahmachari and several unidentified persons in a sexual harassment case. It termed the case a "conspiracy" aimed at tarnishing the seer's reputation.
Citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, the memorandum stated that these provisions guarantee religious freedom and the right of religious denominations to manage their own affairs.
It described the position of shankaracharya held by Saraswati as "one of the highest spiritual posts in Sanatan tradition" and alleged that the entire episode appeared to have been "orchestrated in a planned manner".
"We request that the background of the persons who got the FIR registered be investigated in a transparent manner by a retired high court judge and strict action be taken against them," the memorandum said.
It also sought a "fair and transparent probe" into the allegations levelled against Saraswati so that the truth could be established.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai had told reporters in Varanasi after meeting Saraswati that the party stood firmly with him.
The Congress said it would continue to press for an impartial inquiry into the entire episode.
On February 21, an FIR was lodged in Prayagraj against Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari on charges of sexually abusing two persons, including a minor, over the past year at a gurukul and religious congregations, including the recently concluded Magh Mela.
Days after he was booked, Saraswati had said on Monday that he would not oppose his arrest and asserted that the "fabricated story" would be exposed sooner or later.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Saraswati alleged that criminals rule in Uttar Pradesh, level allegations and influence investigations, as he denied having any contact with the two persons for whose alleged sexual abuse he has been booked.
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