NEW DELHI, Feb 3: Both India and a top lawmaker from the powerful US Senate Foreign Relations Committee have condemned China’s decision to make an army officer, who was injured in a clash with Indian soldiers, the torchbearer for the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Describing as “regrettable” China’s decision involving the Galwan Valley soldier in the winter Olympics, India on Thursday said its envoy would not attend the opening or closing ceremonies of the games in the Chinese capital. This was conveyed by Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi at his weekly briefing.
After the MEA’s announcement, Prasar Bharati’s CEO Shashi Shekhar Vempati said Doordarshan will not telecast the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Winter Olympics.
The Chinese army’s regimental commander, who was severely injured in the violent faceoff with Indian troops in Galwan valley in June 2020, became the torchbearer at the Beijing Games, local media reported. The move is a clear indication that the Beijing Games has been politicised, China watchers have said.
“It’s shameful that Beijing chose a torchbearer for the Olympics 2022 who’s part of the military command that attacked India in 2020 and is implementing genocide against the Uyghurs. The US will continue to support Uyghur freedoms and the sovereignty of India,” tweeted Jim Risch, US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member.
Qi Fabao, a regiment commander of the People’s Liberation Army who had fought during the Galwan Valley clashes with Indian troops in June 2020 and received a commendation for his role in the fight, was one of the torchbearers for the Olympic flames for the Winter Olympics beginning in Beijing on Friday.
It has been a year and a half since the troops clashed in violent hand-to-hand combat in the Galwan Valley, resulting in casualties on both sides, but China has used images and symbolism related to the clash and the valley to project that it had the upper hand in the clashes, even as the two countries are engaged in political, diplomatic and military talks to resolve the standoff that began in May 2020.
Qi Fabao, a regiment commander in the People’s Liberation Army who sustained a serious head injury during the fighting, was among the 1,200 torchbearers in the Games. He was feted as a hero by the Chinese state media which reported his inclusion in the games. Qi Fabao took the flame from Wang Meng, China’s four-time Olympic short track speed skating champion, at Winter Olympic Park on Wednesday.
(Manas Dasgupta)