Sharad Pawar said he was not surprised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit.
Pune:
NCP chief Sharad Pawar said on Tuesday that he was not surprised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Ladakh, and recalled that Jawaharlal Nehru also visited the region after the 1962 war, as did Defense Minister Yashwantrao Chavan.
Speaking to journalists in Pune, Pawar recalled that when he was Minister of Defense in 1993, he had traveled to China and that a treaty had been signed, under which soldiers on both sides had to be removed.
“An unarmed treaty was also signed. During the multi-party meeting with the Prime Minister, I said that the (current) issue should be resolved through diplomatic channels and that we should put international pressure on China”, did he declare.
“I have read in the newspapers that as a result of diplomatic dialogue, soldiers from both sides have been withdrawn. If that is the case, then it is good,” added Pawar .
Asked about Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Ladakh after clashes between Indian and Chinese soldiers in the Galwan Valley, Mr. Pawar said that in 1962 China had defeated India in the war.
“But (then Prime Minister) Nehru had gone there. Even Yashwantrao Chavan, who was the Minister of Defense, had also gone to the Chinese border and had raised the morale of the forces.
“When there is a conflict between two nations and forces are involved, the country’s leaders must ensure that the morale of the forces is raised. I am not surprised that he (Modi) be returned, “said Pawar.
