A group of Ladakh shepherds stood up to Chinese soldiers who tried to stop them from grazing sheep near the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The video of the interaction has gone viral and getting a lot of admiration at the bravery of the local shepherds.
Local shepherds had stopped grazing animals in this area following the 2020 Galwan clash. A video of them arguing with PLA troops and asserting that they were on Indian territory has won hearts on social media.
Over the past three years, nomads in eastern Ladakh had stopped grazing animals in several areas near the LAC. This is the first time in a while that they have asserted their grazing rights in the area and forced PLA soldiers to retreat.
The LAC is a demarcation line that separates Indian and Chinese territories. Notably, difference in perceptions have led to disputes between the forces of both sides over time, escalating to flareups and violent clashes in some cases.
In this instance, however, violence was averted.
Chushul Councillor Praises Local Shepherds And Indian Army
Chushul councillor Konchok Stanzin applauded the resistance shown by the local shepherds. He also praised the Indian army for supporting them. “It is heartening to see the positive impact made by @firefurycorps_IA in Border areas of Eastern Ladakh in facilitating the graziers and nomads to assert their rights in traditional grazing grounds along the north bank of Pangong,” he said in a post on X.
In another post, the councillor shared a link to the Instagram video of the incident which reports say took place earlier this month, adding, “I would like to thank #IndianArmy for such strong civil-military relations & looking after the interests of the border area population.”
“See how our local people are showing their bravery in front of the PLA claiming that the area they are stopping is our nomad’s grazing land. PLA stopping our nomads from grazing in our territory. Seems it is never a never-ending process due to different lines of perceptions. But I salute our nomads, who always stand to protect our land and stand as the second guardian force of the nation,” he wrote in the post.
In the video clip, we see at least three Chinese armoured vehicles and several soldiers on the spot. The vehicles sound an alarm, apparently sending a signal for the shepherds to leave. However, they remain put and are seen gesturing and arguing with the PLA troops. The shepherds explain that they are grazing on Indian territory. On a couple of occasions, when the altercation escalates, some shepherds appear to pick up stones. But the video does not show violence breaking out. The Chinese soldiers seen in the video are not armed but video recording the interaction.
The Chushul councillor said the shepherds could bravely face the PLA troops because of the support of the Indian forces. “No doubt that our forces are always with civilians resolving the grazing issues with the PLA, it’s all because of their support that our nomads could bravely face the PLA,” he said.
Major Clash Erupted In 2020 At Galwan Valley
Indian and China have been locked in a boundary dispute for a long time that has often led to skirmishes along the LAC. It was a major clash at Galwan Valley in 2020 wherein 20 Indian soldiers were killed. China claimed they lost 4 soldiers, but reports say the number was much higher.
Since the escalation, both sides have held multiple meetings at the military and diplomatic levels to maintain peace.
The situation along the LAC remains “stable but sensitive”, Army Chief General Manoj Pande has said recently. “In the last one year or thereabouts, we haven’t had any more friction areas in this. In terms of our efforts at resolution, our talks and dialogue both at the military level as well as the diplomatic level continue with the adversary,” General Pande said.
Bengali