Congress snubs MEA's clarification on Doklam

New Delhi [India], January 18 (ANI): The Congress on Thursday downplayed the statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) giving clarification over the reports of Chinese troops occupying Doklam plateau.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala took to Twitter and said that the MEA, in the statement, did not say a word about the alleged construction by Chinese Army in Doklam.

He further asked the Ministry to be more precise and said, "Plz be specific if Chinese have constructed concrete posts,seven helipads, new trenches & placed several dozen armoured vehicles in Doklam".

MEA Statement does not say a word about the alleged construction by Chinese Army as depicted in satellite imagery.

Plz be specific if Chinese have constructed concrete posts,seven helipads, new trenches & placed several dozen armoured vehicles in Doklam.https://t.co/1ujXT6LKXt

— Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) January 18, 2018

Earlier in the day, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) dismissed reports of Chinese troops regathering near Doklam, saying that the status quo at the face-off site has not been altered.

"Our attention has been drawn to some reports that question the accuracy of the position stated by the Government in respect to the situation in Doklam. Subsequently, in response to repeated questions about any change in the status quo at the face-off site, Government had stated that there was no basis for such imputations", Raveesh Kumar, the official spokesperson of the MEA, said in a statement.

"Government would once again reiterate that the status quo at the face-off site has not been altered. Any suggestion to the contrary is inaccurate and mischievous", he added.

His remarks come in the wake of recent media reports about China apparently taking control of the northern side of the Doklam Plateau.

According to the reports, China has taken some infrastructure development activities in the disputed region.

Earlier, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat had said that the infrastructure development by China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) in the Doklam Plateau is temporary in nature.

"As far as Doklam is concerned PLA soldiers are there in a part of the area, although not in numbers that we saw them in initially. They have carried out some infrastructure development, which is mostly temporary in nature", General Rawat had said during a Facebook interactive session at the Raisina Dialogue in response to a question on Doklam.

Last year, a face-off situation had arisen in the Doklam region between Indian and Chinese troops that was later resolved following diplomatic discussions between both the nations.

The face-off, which lasted for over three months, was called off after both sides arrived at an understanding for the disengagement of their border personnel.(ANI)