Arunachal an inalienable part of India, Govt rejects China claim

India maintained that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India, and no denial by the Chinese side will ever change this reality.

AS China denied allegations that an Indian woman from Arunachal Pradesh was harassed at Shanghai airport recently, and said that it does not recognise the state “illegally established by India”, India asserted Tuesday that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India and no amount of denial by the Chinese side is going to change this indisputable reality.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "We have seen statements made by the Chinese MFA on the arbitrary detention of an Indian citizen from Arunachal Pradesh who was in possession of a valid passport and transiting through Shanghai International Airport during onward travel to Japan."

"Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India, and this is self-evident. No amount of denial by the Chinese side is going to change this indisputable reality," he said.

"The issue of the detention has been taken up strongly with the Chinese side. Chinese authorities have still not been able to explain their actions, which are in violation of several conventions governing international air travel. The actions by the Chinese authorities also violate their own regulations that allow visa free transit up to 24 hours for nationals of all countries," the MEA spokesperson said.

Earlier in the day, China had denied allegations of harassment of Pema Wangjom Thongdok, a UK-based Indian citizen who was travelling from London to Japan on November 21, saying the actions taken by the Chinese immigration officials were as per laws and regulations.

The Indian woman had claimed that her three-hour scheduled layover became a traumatising experience after immigration personnel declared her passport “invalid” only because it listed Arunachal Pradesh as her birthplace.

Asked to comment on the ordeal Thongdok was put through, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said the woman was not subjected to any compulsory measures, detainment or harassment as alleged by her. “On the individual case you mentioned, according to what we’ve learned, during the entire time, China’s border inspection authorities carried out check procedures in accordance with laws and regulations,” said Mao.

Mao said the law enforcement was impartial and non-abusive, that "the lawful rights and interests of the person concerned were fully protected," no compulsory measures were taken on her, and there was no so-called "detaining" or "harassing".

"The airline provided her with resting facilities and meals," she said, denying Thongdok's charges.

Mao also justified the action taken against Thongdok, saying, “Let me point out that having border checks on people entering and exiting a country and carrying out law enforcement according to the specific situation of the entry or exit is the usual practice of border enforcement authorities of countries across the world.”

About India's demarche protesting the treatment meted out to Thongdok and New Delhi's firm assertion that Arunachal Pradesh is very much part of India, Mao reiterated China's claims over the area, which it calls Zangnan or South Tibet. "Zangnan is China's territory, and China does not recognise the so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally established by India," she said.

India lodged a strong demarche-a formal diplomatic protest-to China both in Beijing and in Delhi-on the very same day the incident took place, sources in Delhi said. India firmly conveyed to the Chinese side that Arunachal Pradesh is "indisputably" an Indian territory and its residents are perfectly entitled to hold and travel with Indian passports. The Indian Consulate in Shanghai also took up the matter locally and extended the fullest assistance to the stranded passenger, they said.