R.K. Singh accuses government of being 'pusillanimous' over reported abandonment of patrol point

Former Union Minister R.K. Singh has sought a response from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on how many patrolling points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) have been vacated by Indian forces since 2014. His query comes in the wake of a media report claiming that Indian troops have abandoned a patrol point named Shera 5 in the Taksing area of Arunachal Pradesh, and that Chinese forces have subsequently occupied that position.

In a video message posted on X on August 12, 2026, Mr. Singh, a former member of Parliament from Arrah in Bihar, expressed concern over the reported development. He said he had served in the Ministry of Defence for eight years and the Ministry of Home Affairs for seven years, and that the news worried him. He added that it should worry all citizens of the country.

Mr. Singh, who was suspended from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in November 2025, has been vocal in his criticism of the government since then. He explained the significance of patrolling points in the context of the India-China border dispute. He said that India and China hold differing perceptions about the border and the LAC. He noted that the dispute dates back to China's occupation of Aksai Chin, and that the 1962 war was fought over this issue. He also mentioned that China does not accept the McMahon Line as the border and has not agreed to demarcate the LAC because it has territorial claims, including on the whole of Arunachal Pradesh.

Mr. Singh explained that India and China send patrols to points along their respective perceived claim lines. These patrols serve as markers to communicate each side's claim for future negotiations. Abandoning a patrol point, he argued, means giving up the claim associated with it. He said the Chinese occupy such points when they are vacated, and this has reportedly happened at Shera 5.

Mr. Singh asked whether Shera 5 is the only point that has been abandoned, or if there are others. He demanded a complete disclosure from the government, asserting that the nation wants to know how many points have been given up since 2014 and whether this government has been responsible for any such abandonment.

He described the government's alleged inaction as 'pusillanimous', stating that it cannot stand up for the country's claims. He asserted that no patrolling point can be abandoned without the approval of the Prime Minister, and therefore both the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister must answer his questions.

At the time of filing this report, there was no official response from the Ministry of Defence or the Prime Minister's Office to Mr. Singh's remarks.