Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has denied the claims that appeared in website The Print on Chinese activities in North Doklam. The report had claimed that there was ‘new trouble for India’ as China had stationed armored vehicles and built helipads in its territory. Despite many clarifications from the government, certain sections of the media have raised alarm on the so called ‘Chinese constructions’ close to the Doklam area.

The statement of the ministry said that it had noted these reports which questioned the government’s assurance on Doklam and raised apprehensions of trouble. It said that there was no basis for alarm as there was no change in status quo at the face off site. The MEA reiterated that there was no alteration in position of Chinese armed forces after the negotiations had successfully resolved the crisis. It went on to call false reports as ‘inaccurate’ and ‘mischievous’

We had debunked these claims in a detailed report yesterday.

#BREAKING: India says status quo at the Doklam face-off site has not been altered. Any suggestion to the contrary is inaccurate and mischievous. @MEAIndia statement after media reports suggested Chinese PLA increasing presence near Doklam. pic.twitter.com/a7p1lGpZKO — Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) January 18, 2018

And like clockwork, @MEAIndia has issued a statement that status quo is being maintained and all this fear mongering by @ThePrintIndia and @VishnuNDTV is just that. My article vindicated pic.twitter.com/oQ07jHsRyO — Nupur (@UnSubtleDesi) January 18, 2018

The full statement of MEA is as below.



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Not only The Print, but even Vishnu Som of NDTV had put their own false reports asserting that there was a PLA build up at the disputed area, and had called OpIndia report – now vindicated by the MEA – ‘rubbish’.

The piece you refer to is rubbish – why don’t you just grow a mind, download Google Earth Pro and see for yourself ? — Vishnu Som (@VishnuNDTV) January 17, 2018

Despite the Army Chief’s statement, Vishnu Som had maliciously propagated that PLA is present squarely in the disputed area insinuating that status quo was being breached by China.

The army chief himself said that PLA is present in North Doklam. The Print piece said it’s present in North Doklam. But while defending the Print piece, this fellow says it’s in disputed area. Why? Because he has google earth. This needs clarification @MEAIndia@adgpi. https://t.co/5P8ijU2r5a — Nupur (@UnSubtleDesi) January 17, 2018

We had also noticed how this is the third time the same false reports are being propagated and the MEA had clarified even back in October 2017, after a similar OpIndia report that debunked assertions of ‘renewed aggression at Doklam’.

Same rubbish in October 2017, then December 2017, now Jan 2017. PLA are such angels that they’re present in the disputed territory doing nothing, and Indian army is watching, is it? Bloody liars. This must be countered @SushmaSwaraj @MEAIndia pic.twitter.com/ZkrcqooquN — Nupur (@UnSubtleDesi) January 17, 2018

This same lie was peddled in October 2017 and @MEAIndia had come up with a statement. https://t.co/FWEOMuOJlRpic.twitter.com/VcVnh22G2i — Nupur (@UnSubtleDesi) January 17, 2018

We wonder if ‘The Print’ and NDTV would have the grace to retract their stories after this MEA statement, though we are not holding our breath.