Information regarding Union Defense minister Rajnath Singh's comments to the former army Chief during the border tension with china has come to light. Union Defense minister Rajnath told the then army Chief MM Naravane on the night of august 31, 2020, following a tense situation when the Chinese army moved its tanks and troops along the Rechin La pass on the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh, to do whatever you think fit. He said that Singh had informed. In his memoir 'Four Stars of Destiny', former army chief MM Naravane has described the phone calls between the Defense minister, External Affairs minister, National Security Adviser and the Chiefs of the Tri-Armies, the guidance of rajnath singh and the critical situation that took place that night.
After Rajnath Singh's call, Naravane says a hundred different thoughts flashed through his mind. “I conveyed the importance of the situation to the defense minister. He said he would call me back. Accordingly, he called me again at 10.30 pm.” As Naravane wrote in his memoirs. “Rajnath Singh told me that he had spoken to the prime minister and said that it was a purely military decision, do whatever you think is right for you. Now the full responsibility is on me. I took a deep breath and sat quietly for a few minutes. All was quiet except for the ticking of the wall clock.” Naravane said.
“I was in my hut in the army House. There was a map of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh on one wall and a map of the Eastern Command on the other. They were unmarked drawings. But when I looked at them, I could visualize the location of each unit. We were prepared in every way, but do I really want to start a war?” He has questioned. “The country was in dire straits, reeling under the covid pandemic. The economy stagnated and global supply chains broke down. Under these conditions, can a steady supply of spare parts etc. be ensured? Who are our supporters on the global stage? What is the joint threat of china and Pakistan? A hundred different thoughts flashed through my mind.” As Naravane wrote in his memoirs.
This is not a game war in the sandbox of the army war College. But Naravane, who says that it is a matter of life and death, said that after a few minutes of quiet thought, he called Northern army Commander Lt. Gen. YK Josh.
He told him first that we should not fire, as that would be an excuse for the Chinese; They will portray us as cruel. Even the day before, they were the first to attack the Kailash range. Only then did we attack. They fired two rounds; We fired 3 rounds and retaliated. However, it has escaped the attention of the media, he said.
Naravane says that the Chinese troops were at a lower height than us and directly under our observation. “So, they pose no threat to us, but if they come in force and try to encircle our areas, we have to take action. The situation was tense.” Naravane has written.
Naravane's memoir reveals the crucial decisions and moves of the indian and Chinese forces during those tense days. His memoir describes how his situation was critical and how he handled the situation.
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