Our Jawans should be honoured says Jaishankar in response to Rahul Gandhi's remark

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday strongly objected to the use of the term "pitai" (beating) by former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi while referring to the India-China clash in Tawang, and asserted that our soldiers have stood their ground in Yangtse in Arunachal Pradesh and should be "appreciated and honoured".

There is no problem with political criticism of the government's actions, Jaishankar said, but objected to "direct or indirect" criticism of the soldiers guarding the country's frontiers.

His remarks during the debate on the Anti Maritime Piracy Bill in the Lok Sabha were in response to Gandhi’s allegations in Jaipur last week that China had taken away 2,000 square kilometres of Indian territory, killed 20 Indian soldiers, and was "beating our jawans in Arunachal Pradesh".

"The word 'pitai' (beating) should not be used for our jawans. Our jawans are standing their ground. They should be respected, they should be honoured, and they should be appreciated. This is not something that is appropriate," he said.

There is no problem with political differences or criticism of the government's action,"but, I think we should not directly or indirectly criticise our jawans. When our jawans are standing in Yangtse at 13,000 feet, defending our borders, they do not deserve the word 'pitai'," he said.