China Denied Funeral To Its Soldiers Killed In Galwan Valley Clash To Cover Up 'Blunder': US Intelligence Assessment

The Chinese government has allegedly denied the families of soldiers killed in a clash with the Indian troops in the Galwan Valley from conducting any public burials or funerals, to cover up its 'blunder' in the violent clash in Galwan Valley in Ladakh, the U.S. News reported.

A source familiar with the American intelligence assessment told the media that the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs has asked the families of the soldiers to forgo traditional burial ceremonies and cremate the soldier's remains and conduct funeral services remotely, not in person.

The government has used the menaces of the coronavirus outbreak as a pretext for its decision, encouraging the practice of cremations than ceremonies during the pandemic for public health reasons.

However, the assessment concluded that the concerns were totally separate, and the new rules are a part of a deliberate effort by Beijing 'to undermine public awareness and erase any enduring reminders of the violent clash'.

"The reality is they don't want to create martyr soldiers. So they have banned functions where friends and families can pay their respects for the PLA deceased," the source told the media.

China reportedly fears this could further stir the sentiments prevailing among its citizens and might turn all the way around against the government, it added.

But these sentiments are believed to have already stoked among the Chinese people. According to The Guardian report in June, people using Chinese apps such as Weibo shared pictures of funeral processions with full state honours for Indian soldiers who were killed in the clash and questioned if their countrymen received the same.

While India reported the loss of its 20 soldiers in action and conducted funerals with honour, not a single information has been released by China identifying the names and ranks of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) men who were killed.

The Indian army soldiers were given state funerals in their home states. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in 'Mann Ki Baat' radio programme on June 28, said the sacrifice of the soldiers and their families is 'worth worshipping'.

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