Congress leader Rahul Gandhi says the Chinese attack in Galwan, in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed, was pre-planned.

New Delhi:Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the price was paid by Indian soldiers.  

Unrelenting in his attacks on the centre over the Ladakh clash in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed, Rahul Gandhi tweeted today that it is “crystal clear” that the government was “fast asleep” and jawans paid the price. He posted the fresh charge hours before an all-party meeting on the India-China that his mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi is expected to attend.

“It’s now crystal clear that: 1. The Chinese attack in Galwan was pre-planned. 2. GOI was fast asleep and denied the problem. 3. The price was paid by our martyred Jawans,” the Congress leader tweeted, sharing a report quoting junior defence minister Shripad Naik as saying the attack was planned.

In an interview to news agency ANI, Mr Naik had said: “It is a matter of national security, there will be no compromise. We will not allow others to take our land. I pay tribute to all jawans who lost lives. The nation is proud of them that they made the supreme sacrifice. It won’t go in vain. It was pre-planned by China and Indian forces will give a befitting reply.”

The minister also said: “We were in talks with Chinese officials. Soldiers of both sides have demarche 2.5 KM. It is sad that China has attacked our soldiers in our territory and their soldiers have also been killed.”

Yesterday, Rahul Gandhi had posted that soldiers were sent “unarmed to martyrdom”. He was fact-checked by Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, who said soldiers always carry arms but the rules of engagement do not allow use firearms during face-offs.

Indian soldiers were assaulted with iron rods and clubs wrapped in barbed wire laced with nails in the fight with the Chinese in Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh, close to the Line of Actual Control. Many were thrown off a steep ridge and some of the soldiers fell into the river Galwan.

Mr Jaishankar told his China counterpart Wang Yi the incident would have a serious impact on the bilateral relationship and China must take corrective steps. But both ministers agreed that “neither side would take any action to escalate matters.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asked states to make full use of the expanded COVID-19 testing capacity and saving lives a top priority.

Coronavirus Cases India: India’s recovery rate is at 52.79 per cent.

India today reported over 12,000 coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours in the biggest one-day spike. The country has so far reported 3,66,946 coronavirus cases; 1,94,935 have recovered. The number of dead is 12,237. The recovery rate is at 52.95 per cent. 

Maharashtra has the highest number of cases in the country. The number of fatalities across the state and its capital Mumbai went up sharply on Wednesday as the records were updated with 3,307 cases.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asked states to make full use of the expanded COVID-19 testing capacity and saving lives a top priority. PM Modi also called for fighting the stigma associated with coronavirus and that people should be assured there is no need to panic if somebody has contracted the infection as the number of recovered patients has also been rising. The COVID-19 recovery rate for the country currently stood at around 53 per cent.

Petrol, Diesel Price Today: In Delhi, the price of petrol was increased by 53 paise per litre and diesel by 64 paise per litre with effect from 6 am.

Petrol and diesel rates were raised to Rs 77.81/litre and Rs 76.43/litre respectively in Delhi

Petrol and diesel prices were increased for the twelfth day in a row in metros on Thursday, as state-owned oil companies continued with the normal practice of daily reviews following a 12-week pause. With effect from 6 am on June 18, the price of petrol was increased by 53 paise per litre in Delhi, and diesel by 64 paise per litre, compared to the previous day. While the price of petrol was revised to Rs 77.81 per litre in the national capital from Rs 77.28 per litre the previous day, the diesel rate was increased to Rs 76.43 per litre from Rs 75.79 per litre, according to notifications from state-run Indian Oil Corporation, the country’s largest fuel retailer. (Also Read: How To Find Latest Petrol, Diesel Rates In Your City)

In the 12-day period, the price of petrol has been increased by a cumulative Rs 6.55 per litre in the national capiital, and diesel by Rs 7.13 per litre.

Domestic petrol and diesel are determined broadly by global oil prices and forex prices. 

International crude oil prices edged lower on Wednesday as a draw-down in US distillate stockpiles for the first time since March and a sharp drop in US crude production faced concerns over fuel demand due to fresh outbreaks of COVID-19.

Brent crude futures – the global benchmark for crude oil – were last seen trading down 0.3 per cent at $40.82 per barrel.

Earlier on Wednesday, the rupee ended at 76.16 against the US dollar, nearly unchanged near a six-week low registered the previous day. 

State-run oil marketing companies revise the prices of petrol and diesel from time to time, besides aviation turbine fuel (ATF) – or jet fuel – and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). However, since March 16, the oil companies had kept petrol and diesel prices on hold, possibly due to the volatility in global oil markets.

Fuel retailing in the country is dominated by state refiners – Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation. The three own about 90 per cent of the retail fuel outlets in the country.

India-China: The army has brought in reinforcements in Galwan valley in Ladakh, the site of the clash in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed in action, and other areas like Daulat Beg Oldie, Chushul and Depsang

Ladakh: Indian Army soldiers on a highway leading towards Leh in Gagangir

The Army will evacuate two villages in eastern Ladakh close to the Line of Actual Control or LAC amid tension after a deadly face-off between India and China on Monday, sources said on Thursday. Mobile network in border villages has been snapped and the Srinagar-Leh highway has been closed to traffic.

The army has brought in reinforcements in Galwan valley, the site of the clash in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed in action, and other areas like Daulat Beg Oldie, Chushul and Depsang.

The clash took place at a point called PP-14 or patrolling point 14 a few kilometres from the LAC, the de-facto border between India and China.

New satellite images from Reuters taken on Tuesday shows a massive build-up on the Chinese side of the LAC. Sources say the army is apprehensive that the Chinese may deploy troops at Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) to build pressure.

The army is reviewing decades-old rules of engagement with China of not opening fire on confronting Chinese troops. The Navy and Air Force are also on alert at the LAC.

On Monday, hundreds of soldiers clashed at a height of 15,000 feet, near the Galwan river. Indian soldiers were assaulted with iron rods, stones wrapped in barbed wire and nail-studded clubs in the fight that started in the afternoon and went on till midnight.

Soldiers were even thrown off a high ridge into the icy Galwan river. About 45 Chinese soldiers were also killed or injured, said army sources. The area also saw violent clashes in 1962, when Indian posts were overrun. But in over five decades, there had been no violence and no active Chinese presence.

Kerala said that in case countries lack facilities to conduct the tests, centre should make the necessary arrangements to test the returnees through the embassies in those countries.

Thiruvananthapuram: Antibody tests should be conducted on fliers if RT-PCR tests are difficult, Pinarayi Vijayan said

Expatriates who wish to return to Kerala will now have to undergo mandatory COVID-19 tests for the highly contagious coronavirus before boarding a flight to the state, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Wednesday. Apart from those returning under the centre’s Vande Bharat Mission, Indians coming back on chartered flights will also have to get themselves tested for coronavirus before boarding the flight.  

“It is not safe for the passengers to have a few infected people among them. If conducting RT-PCR (Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) tests for passengers is difficult, antibody tests should be done,” the chief minister added.

The state government also said that in case countries lack facilities to conduct the tests, centre should make the necessary arrangements to test the returnees through the embassies in those countries. “This issue has been raised with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Airlines can also work with the health department to facilitate the tests”, Pinarayi Vijayan said.

Mr Vijayan also said that uniform norms on pre-flight testing should apply to all airlines. 300 SpiceJet flights have been cleared by Kerala to fly back stranded Indians to the state and the airline has communicated to the state government that they are ensuring pre-flight COVID 19 testing, Mr Vijayan said.

Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan in a tweet slamming Mr Vijayan called his decision “inhuman”.

“@vijayanpinarayi’s decision to make #COVID19 certificates mandatory for expatriate Malayalees is anti-people, discriminatory & ill-conceived. It defeats the sole purpose of repatriation during the pandemic

Pinarayi Vijayan had earlier accused the Union Minister of spearheading “disinformation campaign”.

“Do not try to play politics using the health of the public during a disaster. If we don’t learn from our lessons, are we humans? Can we stay away from our responsibility to protect those who are arriving? Isn’t that our responsibility too? Central government must do what is expected of it. This is not something that can end with arguments. Decisions have to be taken keeping in mind the current need,” Mr Vijayan said.

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, terming the chief minister’s decision as cruel, said coronavirus test results take four to seven days and cannot be obtained within 48 hours. Besides, it would also impose a financial burden on the returnees who are currently facing unemployment, he said, adding that he would observe a fast in front of the state secretariat on June 19 against the alleged indifference of the state and central governments towards expats.

Kerala has sought specific quarantine guidelines from the centre for residents of the state who are landing in Delhi, Mumbai or other cities and then reaching their homestate.

“Instead of them going through mandatory quarantine twice in two states, if they get tickets to proceed to Kerala within five days, they should be allowed to quarantine themselves in Kerala. But it would be best, if flights are extended to the state”, Pinarayi Vijayan said.

Kerala has reported at least 2,622 coronavirus cases with 20 deaths so far.

Officials from the armed forces, the district Collector, police personnel and elected representatives paid tributes and placed wreaths before the casket carrying the mortal remains of Havildar Palani.

Havildar Palani was among the 20 soldiers killed in a violent clash with the Chinese troops in Ladakh

Havildar K Palani, one of the 20 Indian army soldiers killed in a violent clash with the Chinese troops in Ladakh, was laid to rest at his native village with full military honours on Thursday.

A gun salute was accorded to the him before his body were buried at Kadakkalur village in the district, as scores of people including family members bid a tearful adieu to Havildar Palani who had made the supreme sacrifice on Monday.

Officials from the armed forces, the district Collector, police personnel and elected representatives paid tributes and placed wreaths before the casket carrying the body of Havildar Palani.

Officials later handed over the Indian tricolour, wrapped on the casket, to the family members of the departed prior to the burial.

Havildar Palani’s minor son performed the related rituals.

Earlier, the soldier’s body arrived at Madurai airport late on Wednesday, where officials from the armed forces paid their last respects to him.

The body was later brought to his residence early on Thursday.

District Collector K Veera Raghava Rao paid respects to the body and handed over a cheque for Rs 20 lakh, the solatium announced by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami, to the family.

On Monday night, 20 Indian Army personnel including a colonel were killed in the clash with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh, the biggest military confrontation in over five decades that has significantly escalated the already volatile border standoff in the region.

The clash in Galwan Valley on Monday night is the biggest confrontation between the two militaries after their 1967 clashes in Nathu La when India lost around 80 soldiers while over 300 Chinese army personnel were killed.

Tamil Nadu crossed 50,000 mark with 2,174 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, the state health department had said.

Tamil Nadu recorded the highest spike of 2,174 coronavirus cases on Wednesday

With 25,463 tests in the last 24 hours, the sample testing for COVID-19 has crossed 25,000 in Tamil Nadu for the first time on Wednesday, the state health department said.

“For the first time, the sample testing for COVID-19 has crossed 25,000 and it stands at 25,463 samples for the last 24 hour period,” state health department said.

The state has recorded the highest spike of 2,174 cases of COVID-19, breaching 50,000 mark on Wednesday. The death count stood at 576 after 48 deaths due to the fatal virus on Wednesday.

“Tamil Nadu crosses 50,000 mark with 2,174 new COVID-19 cases today, taking the total number of cases to 50,193. Death count rises to 576 after 48 deaths were reported today,” the state health department said.

With an increase of 10,974 new cases and 2,003 deaths in the last 24 hours, India’s COVID-19 count has reached 3,54,065 on Wednesday while the count due to the coronavirus stands at 11,903.This includes 1,55,227 active cases and 1,86,935 cured, discharged and migrated patients, according to the Union Health Ministry.

India-China: The opposition has been pressing PM Narendra Modi to “take the nation into confidence” and demanding a “firm response” to the incident

India-China: Rahul Gandhi criticised PM Narendra Modi over the Galwan valley clash

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi today criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the deaths of Indian soldiers in a violent face-off with the Chinese army at Galwan valley in Ladakh. Mr Gandhi asked PM Modi to speak up and questioned what he called was the Prime Minister’s “silence” over the deadliest border incident between India and China in decades.

“Why is the PM silent? Why is he hiding? Enough is enough. We need to know what has happened. How dare China kill our soldiers? How dare they take our land?” Mr Gandhi tweeted

Why is the PM silent?
Why is he hiding?

Enough is enough. We need to know what has happened.

How dare China kill our soldiers?
How dare they take our land?

Mr Gandhi later posted a video giving his condolences to the Indian soldiers who died in the line of duty. He asked PM Modi to “come out” and “tell the truth”. “Two days ago India lost 20 soldiers, they have been snatched away from their families. China has grabbed our land and occupied our territory. Why are you silent Pradhan Mantri ji? Where are you hiding? You come out, the entire country is standing with you. We are all with you. Come out and tell the truth, don’t be scared,” Mr Gandhi said in the video

Twenty soldiers laid down their lives for India at Galwan valley on Monday night after a clash arose from “an attempt by the Chinese side to unilaterally change the status quo” on the border, the government has said. Forty-three Chinese soldiers have been killed or seriously injured, news agency ANI reported, though the army’s statement did not refer to this.

The opposition has been pressing PM Modi to “take the nation into confidence” and demanding a “firm response” to the incident.

“Shocked to learn that 20 of our brave soldiers have been killed in Galwan valley of the western sector. As we salute their martyrdom, the PM must take the nation into confidence. The gravity of the situation calls for a firm & appropriate response,” Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma tweeted on Tuesday.

In a bid to puncture the opposition’s attack, BJP chief JP Nadda while addressing party workers in Kerala on Tuesday said the army has given a “befitting reply”. “I can assure you that under the leadership of PM Modi, India’s territorial integrity will not be compromised,”

The borders of India are & will remain intact under the prime-ministership of Shri @narendramodi. During the de-escalation process that was underway in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh, a violent face-off took place with Chinese Army. Indian Army has given a befitting reply.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and military chiefs twice as India discussed a response to the escalation on Tuesday.

India said the clash arose from “an attempt by the Chinese side to unilaterally change the status quo” on the border. “India is very clear that all its activities are always within the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control. We expect the same of the Chinese side,” said foreign ministry spokesperson Anurag Shrivastava.

Beijing, in an aggressive statement, accused India of crossing the border, “attacking Chinese personnel”. China’s Foreign Ministry was quoted by Reuters as saying India should not take unilateral actions or stir up trouble.

The 12-scrip Nifty Bank index – which gauges stocks of 12 major lenders in the country – was flat with a negative bias in late morning deals.

Banking shares were largely flat on Wednesday, ahead of the Supreme Court’s ruling on whether interest should be waived on loan repayments deferred due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown. The National Stock Exchange’s Nifty Bank index – which gauges stocks of 12 major lenders in the country – traded listless with a negative bias in late morning deals. The Nifty Private Bank index – comprising of shares of private sector lenders – was little changed while the Nifty PSU Bank index was down 0.4 per cent.

Last week, the Supreme Court had asked Finance Ministry and Reserve Bank of India to hold a meeting to decide on a waiver of interest on deferred payments of instalments for loans during the moratorium period, which was announced in wake of the lockdown that began on March 25.

In the 12-scrip Nifty Bank index, half of the stocks moved higher, while the others moved with a negative bias.

Bandhan Bank, HDFC Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Punjab National Bank, Federal Bank and State Bank of India were among the losers. On the other hand, Axis Bank, IDFC First Bank, Bank of Baroda, IndusInd Bank and ICICI Bank were among the gainers.

“If interest payment has been deferred for three months, banks should not add that amount to the payable money and charge interest on interest,” the Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and MR Shah, had said last Friday. The top court had also said that the question is not of waiver of complete interest for entire moratorium period but is limited only to interest charged on interest by banks.

On June 4, the top court had sought the Finance Ministry’s reply on waiver of interest on loans during the moratorium period after the RBI said it would not be prudent to go for a “forced waiver of interest” risking financial viability of the banks

On May 26, the top court had asked the Centre and the RBI to respond to the plea challenging levy of interest on loans during the moratorium period.

The RBI in its reply told the top court that it is taking all possible measures to provide relief with regard to debt repayments on account of the fallout of COVID-19 but it does not consider it prudent to go for a “forced waiver of interest, risking the financial viability of the banks it is mandated to regulate, and putting the interests of the depositors in jeopardy”.

India has blamed the clashes on “an attempt by the Chinese side to unilaterally change the status quo there”, rebutting China’s claims that Indian soldiers crossed the border.

Indian and Chinese troops clashed at Galwan Valley in Ladakh

Four Indian soldiers are in critical condition after the violent face-off with Chinese troops at eastern Ladakh on Monday evening. The Army confirmed yesterday that 20 soldiers were killed in the fight at Galwan Valley in Ladakh. 43 Chinese soldiers have been killed or seriously injured who based the information on intercepts.

An army statement on Tuesday morning confirmed the death of a Colonel and two jawans and spoke of “casualties on both sides”. In another statement last evening, the army added that 17 more critically injured were “exposed to sub-zero temperatures… (and) succumbed to their injuries”.

The army statement opened by saying Indian and Chinese troops “have disengaged” at the Galwan area where they earlier clashed on the night of June 15/16.

Agence France Presse quoted an Indian army source as saying the incident involved no shooting but “violent hand-to-hand scuffles”. The soldiers threw punches and stones at each other and the Chinese troops allegedly used rods and nail-studded clubs during the fight that lasted for hours until midnight on Monday, according to reports.

China’s defence ministry confirmed the incident had resulted in casualties but did not give details.

India blamed the clashes on “an attempt by the Chinese side to unilaterally change the status quo there”, rebutting China’s claims that Indian soldiers crossed the border.

“India is very clear that all its activities are always within the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control. We expect the same of the Chinese side,” said foreign ministry spokesperson Anurag Shrivastava.

Since early May, hundreds of soldiers have been ranged against each other at three locations.

The two sides had been discussing ways to de-escalate but Monday’s clashes erupted when Chinese troops turned on a group of Indian soldiers that included an officer.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said there had been a serious violation of a consensus reached by the two countries. Indian soldiers “twice crossed the border line and provoked and attacked the Chinese forces, causing a violent physical confrontation between the two border forces,” Zhao Lijian told reporters in Beijing.Promoted

Military experts say one reason for the face-off is that India has been building roads and airfields to improve connectivity and narrow the gap with China’s infrastructure. At Galwan, India completed a road leading to an airfield last October. To China’s objections, India said it was operating on its side of the Line of Actual Control.

India and China fought a brief but bloody border war in 1962 and there have been skirmishes after that, but no loss of life since 1975.