'Pitai' word should not be used for our jawans; Jaishankar objects to Rahul Gandhi's remark

Ajay Banerjee

New Delhi, December 19

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has strongly objected to the use of the term “pitai” (beating) by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi while referring to the India-China clash in Tawang, and asserted that our soldiers have stood their ground in Yangtse in Arunachal Pradesh and should be “appreciated and honoured”.

The Minister was replying to debate on the Anti-Martine Piracy Bill that was passed by Lok Sabha in near unanimity today.

Jaishankar in his reply pointed out that an MP had mentioned that the Government was being ‘indifferent’ to China.

“If we were indifferent to China, who sent the Army to borders. If we were indifferent to China, why are we pressing China on ‘disengagement and de-escalation’ and why are we saying publically that our ties are not normal”.

The Minister then without naming Rahul Gandhi used his words ‘pitai’ for Indian troops after their clash with Chinese at Yangtse on December 9.

“We should not directly or indirectly criticize the jawans (troops). Our jawans are standing at 13,000 feet at Yangtse, they are standing on ground, they should be honoured”.

“Don’t use the world ‘pitai’. Use of the word is inappropriate”.

Describing the need for an Anti- Maritime Piracy Bill, the Minister said, “We need anti-piracy legislation, it’s a part of our international responsibility. A Standing Committee of Parliament made 18 recommendations to the bill that has helped in getting the right balance,” the Minister said.

India does not have a separate domestic legislation on piracy. The provisions of the Indian Penal Code pertaining to armed robbery and the Admiralty jurisdiction of certain courts have been invoked in the past to prosecute pirates apprehended by the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard but in the absence of any specific law relating to the offence of maritime piracy in India, problems are being faced in ensuring effective prosecution of the pirates.

The Anti-Maritime Piracy Bill makes the legislation applicable to all parts of the sea adjacent to and beyond the limits of Exclusive Economic Zone of India. An act of piracy on high seas will be an offence punishable with imprisonment for life or with death.

The Gulf of Aden, which separates Somalia and Yemen and connects the Arabian Sea to the Red Sea and through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean Sea, has seen a major spurt in attacks by pirates operating from Somalia since 2008.