Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has expressed ‘deepest condolences’ to the families of martyred soldiers during a standoff in the Galwan valley.
"We are deeply shocked by the reports of a standoff in Galwan valley. Deepest condolences to the families of the martyred soldiers. We stand in solidarity with the personnel of our armed forces....our thoughts are with the brave soldiers and their families," CM Pinarayi said in a tweet.
Congress Lok Sabha Member of Parliament from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor, also sympathised with the slain Indian army personnel. He took to Twitter and said that the incident calls for "resolute handling" by the Centre.
"The tragic news from Ladakh is shocking & calls for resolute handling by our Govt (sic)," he said.
Paying tributes to those killed in the face-off, he urged all to honour the martyrs and those who serve at the borders every day, risking their lives for our nation.
The Students organisations of Congress and the ruling CPI(M) also paid their respects to the martyred soldiers.
The Kerala Students Union on Tuesday night organised a candlelight vigil and paid respects to the martyred soldiers at the martyrs column in the state capital.
Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of the ruling CPI(M), said it was “unfortunate that during the de-escalation process on the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, a clash has taken place at Galwan valley.”
Bharatheeya Janata Party (BJP) state chief K Surendran also paid tributes to the slain Army personnel and also asked the CPI(M) to explain its stand on China.
Twenty Indian Army soldiers were killed at Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on Wednesday, after a violent faceoff with Chinese troops at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). While at first it came out that three soldiers were killed in the violence, the Indian Army later issued a statement that 17 more soldiers have died.