India on April 11 firmly rejected China's objection to Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Arunachal Pradesh and asserted that the State "was, is and will" always remain an integral and inalienable part of India.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said objecting to such visits does not stand to reason and will not change the reality.
"We completely reject the comments made by the Chinese official spokesperson. Indian leaders routinely travel to the State of Arunachal Pradesh as they do to any other State of India," Mr. Bagchi said.
"Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India. Objecting to such visits does not stand to reason and will not change the above reality," he said.
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Mr. Bagchi was responding to media queries on the Chinese reaction.
On Monday, a spokesperson of Beijing’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed that the visit “violated China’s sovereignty”.
“Zangnan is China’s territory. Indian officials’ activities in this area violate China’s sovereignty and territorial sovereignty and not conducive to peace and tranquillity in the border regions. We firmly oppose it,” said spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Wang Wenbin.
Today, after meeting the Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein and others at Kibithoo, the village located along the border with China, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, “The Narendra Modi government is committed to the security and development of border areas”
His remarks came a day after he had said no one can dare cast an evil eye on India's territorial integrity and encroach even an "inch of our land." He said said the era when anyone could encroach the borderlands of India was over.
Mr. Shah said India’s borders were secure and could not be violated, even in terms of land measuring “the tip of the needle”.
The Home Minister’s visit came one week after Beijing said it would “rename” 11 places in the northeastern State, in an attempt to lay claim to the entire State.
