Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has called China’s claims over Arunachal Pradesh “farcical” and “ludicrous”. He also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give a strong rebuttal to its claims on the frontier state. Kharge’s remarks come after Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar also called the claims ludicrous.
“Arunachal Pradesh is an inalienable, indistinguishable and inseparable part of India. The Indian National Congress strongly condemns and opposes any idea of an iota of Chinese claims on Arunachal Pradesh. This is the 4th time in a month, that the Chinese, from its highest offices, have made completely ludicrous and farcical claims. China's record in making absurd claims by renaming places and redrawing maps of territories, belonging to other countries, is well known. Moving beyond partisan politics, we are together in protecting India's sovereignty and territorial integrity,” said Kharge.
The Congress President blamed PM Modi for the Chinese belligerence. He said that it is the result of not acting against China and giving a clean chit on the Galwan clash where 20 Indian bravehearts gave up their lives.
He has said that the Modi government’s ‘Please China Policy’ has endangered India’s national security in Arunachal Pradesh. “Apart from Ladakh, 'Modi Ki Chinese Guarantee' is being played up in Arunachal Pradesh. We still hope that the Modi Govt should come out with the strongest rebuttal to the Chinese on their pathetic claims. We want peace and tranquillity at our borders,” said Kharge.
Before Kharge, Jaishankar had said that the Arunachal Pradesh claim by China is not a new issue. He had said that China had laid claim and then expanded its claim. He said the claims were ludicrous before and will remain ludicrous.
China had protested against PM Modi’s visit to the state recently to inaugurate the Sela Tunnel. China, stating that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of the country, had said that India cannot develop the territory it recognises as Zangnan arbitrarily.
India, too, had responded to China’s statements and said its protests will not change the reality. “Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Its people will continue to benefit from our development programmes and infrastructure projects,” said India, adding that its leaders will continue visiting the frontier state too.