Hope govt gives strong rebuttal to China on Arunachal claims, says Kharge

Arunachal Pradesh is an inalienable, indistinguishable and inseparable part of India, the Congress asserted on Tuesday and called on the Modi government to come out with the "strongest rebuttal" to the Chinese on their "pathetic claims" on the state.

China on Monday continued to claim that Arunachal Pradesh has "always been" its territory, notwithstanding India dismissing Beijing's claim as "absurd" and "ludicrous".

On Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian reiterated China's claim reacting to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's assertions on Saturday, dismissing China's repeated claims on Arunachal Pradesh as "ludicrous".

In a post on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said Arunachal Pradesh is an inalienable, indistinguishable and inseparable part of India.

"The Indian National Congress strongly condemns and opposes any idea of an iota of Chinese claims on Arunachal Pradesh. This is the fourth time in a month, that the Chinese, from its highest offices, have made completely ludicrous and farcical claims," he said.

Kharge said China's record in making absurd claims by renaming places and redrawing maps of territories, belonging to other countries, is well known.

"Moving beyond partisan politics, we are together in protecting India's sovereignty and territorial integrity. However, it may also be underlined that Chinese belligerence is the result of PM (Narendra) Modi not acting on its 'Laal Aankh' and giving CLEAN CHIT to China on Galwan on June 19th, 2020, where 20 Indian bravehearts sacrificed their lives for the nation," Kharge alleged.

Be it building villages at the border close to Arunachal Pradesh or be it kidnapping our people living near the borders, the Modi government's 'Please China Policy' has endangered our national security in Arunachal, he said.

"Apart from Ladakh, 'Modi Ki Chinese Guarantee' is being played up in Arunachal Pradesh," Kharge alleged.

"We still hope that the Modi government should come out with the strongest rebuttal to the Chinese on their pathetic claims. We want peace and tranquillity at our borders," the Congress chief said.