‘No one has courage to encroach our borders’: HP Guv Shiv Pratap Shukla on drones spotted on India-China border

Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla on Saturday dismissed as “unjustified” the statement made by Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi on drones being spotted on the India-China border in Kinnaur district. Revenue Minister Negi, MLA from Kinnaur constituency on Monday said that drones were spotted on the India-China border in the Kinnaur district and were likely being used for surveillance and espionage purposes.

Responding to Negi’s statement, the governor said, “No one has the courage to encroach our borders in today’s era and in case any drone is spotted, the matter should be reported to the Union Government. Such a statement is unjustified and should not have been made.”

Talking to the media persons here, the Governor said “I feel that this matter pertains to the Centre and not the state government.”

“Road construction to lay roads up to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is in progress in both Shipki La and Rishidogri and the possibility of surveillance and espionage by these drones cannot be ruled out,” the revenue and horticulture minister said on Monday.

The minister had urged the Union government to take note of the matter and issue necessary directions, he had asked the Union Government to take strong notice of the Chinese drones violating Indian space and take necessary action. The tribal districts of Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti share a 240 km border with China which is traversed by nine high-altitude mountain passes.