India and China have failed to make any headway in resolving the 17-month standoff in eastern Ladakh

Mumbai: Amid tensions at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the Shiv Sena on Wednesday said if strong steps are not taken by the central government, China and Pakistan will come together and pose a threat to the very existence of India.

Referring to the BJP, without taking its name, as the "political East India Company", the party in its mouthpiece "Saamana" said while China keeps resorting to incursions, India is busy in talks.

The party also dubbed China a "foremost imperialist nation".

In the backdrop of the recent attacks on Hindus and Sikhs in Jammu and Kashmir, the editorial said with Narendra Modi in power at the Centre, Hindus have fled from the Valley. This does not behove a party like the BJP which champions the cause of Hindutva, it said.

"The prime minister, home minister and defence minister must understand the pain of such people," the Marathi publication said.

It said after the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, there has been a rise in violent incidents in Kashmir. Referring to the stand-off between the armies of India and China, it said there have been 13 round of talks to diffuse the situation, but that has yielded little success.

"The People's Liberation Army officers stretch the talks, but do whatever they want to in the end. China is not ready to accept any constructive changes," the editorial observed.

It claimed that whatever Pakistan has been doing in Kashmir has the support of China. The "undemocratic" forces that are in power in Afghanistan also have the backing of Beijing, it added.

"If harsh steps are not taken by the government, then China and Pakistan will come together and pose a threat to the very existence of India. The political East India Company in the country should understand this," the Sena said.

India and China have failed to make any headway in resolving the 17-month standoff in the remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh, with the Indian Army on Monday saying the "constructive suggestions" made by it at the latest round of military talks were neither agreeable to the Chinese side nor Beijing could provide any "forward-looking" proposals.

In a strong statement after the 13th round of talks on Sunday that ended in a stalemate, the Army also said the situation along the LAC had been caused by "unilateral attempts" of the Chinese side to alter the status quo and it is necessary that China takes appropriate steps to restore peace in the region.