India has lodged strong protests with China over its denial of accreditation for the Asian Games in Hangzhou to some of the Indian sportspersons from Arunachal Pradesh, saying the action violates the spirit of the sporting event and rules governing its conduct.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said as a mark of India's protest against China's discriminatory behaviour, Union Information and Broadcasting and Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur has cancelled his scheduled visit to China for the Games.
A woman poses for photographs with the 2022 Asian Games mascots (L-R) Chenchen, Congcong and Lianlian along the promenade of Qiantang river in Hangzhou on September 22, 2023. | Photo Credit: AFP
Mr. Bagchi said India reserves the right to take "suitable measures to safeguard our interests''.
"The government of India has learnt that the Chinese authorities have, in a targeted and pre-meditated manner, discriminated against some of the Indian sportspersons from the state of Arunachal Pradesh by denying them accreditation and entry to the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China," Mr. Bagchi said.
"In line with our long-standing and consistent position, India firmly rejects differential treatment of Indian citizens on the basis of domicile or ethnicity. Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India," he said.
Mr. Bagchi said a strong protest has been lodged in New Delhi and Beijing against China's "deliberate and selective obstruction" of some of our sportspersons.
