Several military veterans have questioned the Narendra Modi government and the Indian Army’s double standard in declaring intent to wrest control of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir while at the same time continuing to maintain silence on the Chinese intrusions in eastern Ladakh.

“It’s so ironic that the government and the army are now busy bragging about taking back PoK but are yet to speak on the Chinese intrusions in Ladakh for over two years and the subsequent loss of 1,000sqkm of Indian territory. Is it not doublespeak?” a former lieutenant general told The Telegraph.

A top army commander on Tuesday said the Indian Army was ready to execute orders like taking back PoK.

He was reacting to defence minister Rajnath Singh last month reiterating New Delhi’s resolve to wrest control of PoK.

“As far as the Indian Army is concerned, it’ll carry out any order given by the government of India. Whenever such orders are given, we will always be ready for it,” Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi, the general officer commanding-in-chief of the Northern Command, was quoted as saying by the news agency ANI.

“How about getting back control of territory lost in 2020 in eastern Ladakh first?” veteran Sushant Singh asked while reacting to Lt Gen. Diwvedi’s statement. A retired colonel said the Modi government’s claim to take back PoK and its refusal to even acknowledge Chinese intrusions in Ladakah spoke volumes about its intent.

“The government’s only mission seems to be winning elections. By not admitting for domestic political gains that the Chinese army is sitting inside our territory, the government is only allowing them to alter the status quo along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh,” he said.

The Indian and Chinese armies have been locked in a standoff at multiple points in Ladakh since May 2020, with the Chinese estimated to have taken over close to 1,000sqkm of India-claimed territory.

A former major general sought to draw a comparison between India’s aggressive stance and the top leadership’s public statements on reclaiming PoK vis-a-vis the deafening silence on China’s transgressions.

“The government’s only interest seems to be PoK just to keep the domestic audience in good humour for the sake of winning elections. At the same time, the government has failed to even acknowledge the Chinese intrusions in Ladakh. Who are we deceiving?” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had told an all-party meeting on June 19, 2020 — four days after the Galwan Valley clash in which 20 Indian soldiers and several Chinese troops were killed — that “neither have they intruded into our territory, nor has any post been taken over by them”.

Veterans have accused the Modi government of capitulation to Chinese aggression and bullying. “Modi has not named China even once since the border standoff in 2020 and his government has remained silent on the restoration of status quo along the LAC. By not admitting the Chinese intrusions, the government is only giving the Chinese army a free pass to alter the status quo,” said a veteran.