Indian communist leader cautions India over Doklam stand off

India’s top politician has cautioned India for taking Bhutan as granted to deal with the stand-off with China in Doklam area.

“India must seriously consider ways to diffuse the situation with China and the key lies in our accepting that this issue is between Bhutan and China and leave it to the Bhutanese to handle it,” said former general secretary CPI(M) Prakash Karat.

In an interview given to ‘The Citizen’, Karat said that New Dehi does not seem to be understanding the seriousness of the Chinese intentions. He is quoted to heave said that China had spelt this out clearly in its official document and made it clear that India has no jurisdiction in its view at all. Beijing has repeatedly urged New Delhi to withdraw its troops from Doklam, and made it clear that any negotiations can only follow, and not precede this.

Karat said that the government was downplaying the issue, and it does seem as if some (China claims only 40 of the 400 Indian soldiers now remain) troops have been withdrawn. But clearly this is not enough for Beijing to climb down and the best way out of this impasse would be for India to move out and allow Bhutan to step in and negotiate directly with the Chinese about the construction of the road and related issues.

Bhutan currently is absent from the picture, having reacted to the Chinese construction of the road several days after it had started, under Indian pressure. Since the two month face-off in which relations between Beijing and New Delhi have dipped alarmingly Bhutan has remained silent with not a word on the issue that has its two big neighbours almost at war.

According to the United Nations (UN) General Assembly Resolution 3314 adopted on Dec. 14, 1974, no consideration of whatsoever nature, whether political, economic, military or otherwise, may serve as a justification for the invasion or attack by the armed forces of a State of the territory of another State.

To cross a delimited boundary and enter the territory of a neighboring country on the grounds of so-called “security concerns,” for whatever activities, runs counter to the basic principles of international law and basic norms governing international relations.

As a third party, India has no right to interfere in or impede the boundary talks between China and Bhutan, nor does it have the right to make territorial claims on Bhutan’s behalf. India’s intrusion into Chinese territory under the pretext of Bhutan has not only violated China’s territorial sovereignty, but also challenged Bhutan’s sovereignty and independence.