New Delhi, February 8
The India-China spat on Arunachal Pradesh has started being re-enacted, all over again.
China has conveyed to India its displeasure against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s January 31-February 1 Arunachal Pradesh visit. The Chinese protest is based on two points. One, it was not appropriate for the Indian Prime Minister to visit a state, major parts of which Beijing calls its territory and the second point of the Chinese protest relates to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s description of Arunachal Pradesh as “our land of rising sun”. Beijing has taken exception to the Prime Minister’s description that it found jingoistic.
The Indian reaction has been quick
and forthcoming, unlike in the past. External affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee came up with a sharp reaction when he said that Arunachal Pradesh was part of India and the Prime Minister has right to visit any part of the country. “Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of our country. We are having regular representation in our Parliament elected by people of Arunachal Pradesh. Therefore, it is quite obvious that the Prime Minister will visit any part of the country,” Mukherjee said in Mumbai. “We are aware of the position of China in respect to Arunachal just as the Chinese side is aware of our position,” he said.
On his part, the Prime Minister had sought to tread cautiously as he visited Arunachal Pradesh but did not go to Tawang.
