The Indian envoy in China has announced that it will not be attending the opening and closing ceremony of Winter Olympics in Beijing.
The announcement came after China decided to choose a soldier who fought during the Galwan valley clash in 2020, as torchbearer for the mega event.
The foreign ministry has called China’s decision to politicise the event as “regrettable”.
"We have seen the reports on this issue. It is indeed regrettable that the Chinese side has chosen to politicise an event like the Olympics," it said.
"I wish to inform that our Charge d'Affaires of the Embassy of India in Beijing will not be attending the opening or the closing ceremony of the Beijing '22 Winter Olympics," the ministry added.
Shortly after the announcement, Doordarshan said it will not live telecast the opening or closing ceremony.
"Consequent to the announcement by @meaindia, @ddsportschannel will not telecast live the Opening and Closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics being held in Beijing," tweeted Shashi Shekhar Vempati, the chief of Prasar Bharati.
It may be mentioned that China’s move came after an Australian daily reported that Beijing lost 42 soldiers in the clash in Ladakh -- nine times more than the four it has acknowledged.
In the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, twenty Indian soldiers were killed – a first since nearly five decades. China on the other hand claimed it lost only four soldiers.
