Chinese misadventure
Arunachalis are proud Indian citizens’

Don’t poke your nose into our affairs, Khandu tells Beijing

New Delhi has expressed its “disappointment and concern” over a statement made by China today on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s recent visit to Arunachal Pradesh for election campaign, and said that it would not help the process of ongoing negotiations on the border disputes between the two countries.

Besides, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorrjee Khandu raised strong objections to Beijing’s ‘‘concern’’ over Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to the State on October 3 last and said China has no business to meddle with the internal affairs of the State which is an integral part of India. Arunachal Pradesh MP Takam Sanjay also slammed Beijing for criticizing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh, the latest hiccup between the Asian neighbours after reports of Chinese incursions and Indian troop build up along the borders.

India ’s reaction came in response to a question about a statement made by an official spokesman of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier in the day expressing Beijing ’s “strong dissatisfaction” over Dr Singh’s visit to what it described as “the disputed area” despite China ’s “grave concerns”. Chinese Ambassador Zhang Yan met Vijay Gokhale, Joint Secretary ( East Asia ) in the Ministry of External Affairs, for a “scheduled meeting” during which the sentiments of India were conveyed to him verbally.

Vishnu Prakash, the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, has asserted that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India . “The people of Arunachal Pradesh are citizens of India , and they are proud participants in the mainstream of India ’s vibrant democracy. The Chinese side is well aware of this position of the Government of India,” he said.

Prakash further said it is a well-established practice in India ’s democratic system that its leaders visit States where elections to Parliament and to the State Assemblies take place. He said the Government of India is deeply committed to ensuring the welfare of its own citizens across the length and breadth of the country. 

Prakash said that India and China had jointly agreed that the outstanding boundary question between them would be discussed by the Special Representatives appointed by the two governments. 

“We, therefore, express our disappointment and concern over the statement made by the official spokesman of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, since this does not help the process of ongoing negotiations between the two governments on the boundary question,’’ he said, and added: “India is committed to resolving outstanding differences with China in a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable manner, while ensuring that such differences are not allowed to affect the positive development of bilateral relations. We hope that the Chinese side will similarly abide by this understanding.’’

China claims about 90,000 sq km of land in Arunachal Pradesh.

The latest controversy comes at a time when there have been media reports in India about Chinese incursions, which the Indian government has already dismissed. Earlier this month, India protested the policy of the Chinese Embassy in Delhi of issuing a different kind of visa to Indians residing in Jammu & Kashmir. 

Khandu raised strong objections to Beijing’s ‘‘concern’’ over Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to the State on October 3 last and said China has no business to meddle with the internal affairs of the State which is an integral part of India.

Dr Singh had visited the State to address a Congress rally at Pasighat in East Siang district for election campaign.

“All Arunachalis are citizens of India and overwhelmingly participating in the democratic process to elect their representatives to the State Assembly,” Khandu pointed out.

He expressed surprise on China ’s reaction to Singh’s visit wherein he had reiterated the Centre’s commitment to develop the State in a fixed time-frame, including completion of the ambitious 1,840-km trans-Arunachal highway.

Dr Singh had earlier announced a mega-special package for the development of Arunachal Pradesh during a visit to the State capital in January 2008.

Khandu cited the visits of several Union ministers to the State, including the then External Affairs Minister and present Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Defence Minister AK Antony, who had reiterated Arunachal Pradesh as being an integral part of India during their visits. He said that even President Pratibha Singh Patil had visited the State recently to endorse New Delhi ’s stand on Arunachal Pradesh.

After all these, China should refrain from making such claims on the State, Khandu said, while emphasizing that the State has a constitutionally elected government and is represented by three MPs in Indian Parliament. “Arunachalis want good relations with their neighbours across the international border. Therefore, both sides should make efforts to reopen border trade through traditional routes for mutual benefit and peaceful coexistence,” he added.

“It is simply blasphemous on the part of China to oppose or express dissatisfaction over the visit of our prime minister to Arunachal Pradesh,” Takam Sanjay, a ruling Congress MP in the Lok Sabha from Arunachal Pradesh, said.

Call all-party meet on China policy: BJP

Meranwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to call an all-party meeting to discuss India ’s relationship with China . Party leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said: “The BJP demands that the Prime Minister must call an all-party meeting at the earliest to have a wider consultations and consensus on the entire design of China , nature of our relationship with the neighbouring country and the kind of response required to be given.”

The BJP leader more said the language of protest used is not only fit to be condemned strongly, but is part of a pattern showing rank belligerence against India and its strategic interest. However, the BJP is dismayed to notice the almost apologetic tone and tenor of the response of the External Affairs Minister of India; which raises serious doubt in the minds of the people of the country about the Government’s will and capability to safeguard the territorial integrity of the country, he said. For the last nearly two years, China is increasingly demonstrating its hostility against India and the claim on Arunachal Pradesh is being repeated not only by their Ambassador, but also by their political leadership at the highest level including on multilateral forums, he added.

“The aggressive posture of China is being met with not only timid response, but there is a deliberate attempt to downplay it. China is increasing its pressure on the Himalayas through incursions all across, but the Government of India has put a curb on all information relating to it. Some stray official comments suggest that there is no significant increase in comparison to last year in incursions, but the exact number of increase is not being disclosed. We need to remember that in 2007 the number of incursion was 140 which rose to 270 in the year 2008. Whether the rise is significant or not would be known only when the number is released officially. The BJPs demand that the number of incursions must be disclosed,” Prasad said.

He said the BJP favours a “good relationship with China , but not at the cost of the territorial integrity” of the country. The BJP appealed for wider consultation and national consensus on a very strong response against what he called the aggressive designs of China .

Aviation infrastructure development in Arunachal Pradesh

An apex committee has been formed by the Government of India to look into improvement of aviation-related infrastructure in Arunachal Pradesh. Air Vice Chief Air Marshal PK Barbora has been appointed to head the committee.

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