Congress leader urges government to move ICJ against China, seek USD 22 billion compensation for "bio-war" coronavirus

Former union minister Ninong Ering has written a letter to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and said the government should move International Court of Justice (ICJ) against China and seek compensation of USD 22 billion for the spread of coronavirus, which he termed "China's bio-war".

"When the entire world was looking forward to progress further in 2020, reliable media reports suggest China has unleashed a bio-warfare programme of Wuhan coronavirus and put world peace and security at greatest threat," Ering said in the letter.

Ering, who is MLA from Pasighat West in Arunachal Pradesh, said the whole of the world is under lockdown and it has severely impacted economies including that of India.

"The government must put up a case in ICJ for bio-warfare and ask for compensation to the tune of 22 billion USD. India must unite with other countries on this and must ask for an international investigation in Wuhan coronavirus," he said.

The Congress MLA also mentioned the issue of stapled visa that China has been issuing to the people of Arunachal Pradesh and the objections that it raises to official visits of the Prime Minister, Home Affairs Minister and Defence Minister to the state.

Ering also said that river Siang in the state had "turned black" in 2018 due to various hydropower projects that China has undertaken and referred to "diversion in the flow of river Brahmaputra by Chinese authorities".

He urged Jaishankar to take up the issues in an international forum and ensure security of people of Arunachal Pradesh.

China reported its first case of coronavirus in Wuhan in December last year. The disease has killed over 38,700 people globally according to data provided by Johns Hopkins University.