STAUS Quo Continues On Doklam Issue: No Pilgrim Denied Holy DIP In Kailas Manossaravor Lake: Sushma

INDIA’s Ministry For External Affairs has brushed aside media reporting Chinese troops re-gathering near Doklam saying that the status quo at the face-off site has not been altered. Spokesperson for MEA Raveesh Kumar says in a statement “Our attention has been drawn to some reports that question the accuracy of the position stated by the Government in respect to the situation in Doklam. Subsequently, in response to repeated questions about any change in the status quo at the face-off site, Government had stated that there was no basis for such imputations”.”Government would once again reiterate that the status quo at the face-off site has not been altered. Any suggestion to the contrary is inaccurate and mischievous”, he added.External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday said that there was no change in the status quo at the face-off site in Doklam and asserted that a major outcome of last month’s informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping was enhancing of mutual trust between the two countries. Swaraj, addressing a press conference with her Minister of State VK Singh, said there were apprehensions that the Doklam standoff would not be resolved without the two neighbouring countries going to war. However, she said that both sides managed to resolve it through dialogue and diplomacy. The global community has appreciated India for being able to resolve the Doklam standoff with China through dialogue and diplomacy, she said.”There has been no change in the situation at the Doklam faceoff site. Status quo is continuing,” Swaraj said replying to a question. She also refuted reports of some devotees at Kailash Mansarovar in China not being allowed to take a holy dip in the lake there. Hundreds of Indian pilgrims undertake the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra every year. She said there has been a designated area for taking the holy dip in the lake and it continues to be so.”There is always a designated place where any devotee can take a bath. You cannot take bath in any part of the lake,” she said. Swaraj said the informal summit between Modi and Xi was very successful as all its aims were achieved. The main objective of the informal summit between PM Modi and The Chinese President Xi was to improve easiness in ties, enhance mutual understanding between the two countries on global issues and improve mutual trust. And we achieved all these three objectives. We are happy ,” she said.