India to skip Winter Olympics' opening, closing ceremony as China made Galwan soldier torchbearer: MEA

Representative Image (AP)

The Indian envoy in China will not attend the opening and closing ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press conference on February 3. The decision came in response to reports of China using Galwan soldier as the Olympic torchbearer.

MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said: “Regrettable that China has chosen to politicise the Olympics. The Indian envoy will not attend the opening or closing ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics.”

Earlier today, US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jim Risch had tweeted: “It is shameful that Beijing chose a torchbearer for the Olympics 2022 who was part of the military command that attacked India in 2020 and is implementing genocide against the Uyghurs. The United States will continue to support Uyghur freedom and the sovereignty of India.”

Also read: China racked up higher-than-reported deaths in Galwan Valley clash: Australian newspaper

Qi Fabao, a regimental commander of the People’s Liberation Army, who had got wounded during the Galwan valley clash with the Indian military, had taken over the flame from Chinese athlete Wang Meng on February 2, Global Times reported.

The United States, Britain, and several others have already announced that they would not be sending their dignitaries to attend the Beijing Winter Olympics to protest the human rights abuses perpetrated by China’s Communist Party.

(With ANI inputs)

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