India on Thursday decided not to attend the opening & closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympic begining in Beijing on Friday. The decision comes after China’s move to pick a chinese soldier involved in the Galwan clash as the Olympic torch bearer.
Effectively, this means that India joined the US-led diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics on Thursday just hours before the controversial host formally kicks off the Winter Olympics, although it will send an athlete for the event.
Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson for India’s foreign ministry, told reporters, “It is indeed regrettable that the Chinese side has chosen to politicise an event like Olympics, the Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of India in Beijing will not be attending the opening or the closing ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.”
The Galwan clashes in mid-June 2020 had resulted in the death of 20 Indian soldiers, including a Colonel, while China had last year admitted to losing at least four of its troops, making it the bloodiest encounter between the two nations in over four decades.
Further, Doordarshan, also decided to abstain from telecasting the opening and closing ceremonies live.
Asked about complaints of torture of the Arunachal boy by the Chinese Army who was recently returned after being in PLA’s captivity, the MEA spokesperson said that the issue “has been taken up with the Chinese side”. He added that the case “was handled through military channels and I would refer it to the Ministry of Defence and other elements.”
