Tawang, Oct 29 The current situation in the border areas of Arunachal Pradesh is normal, and the Indian armed forces are guarding the borders very well, Chief Minister Pema Khandu said on Thursday, asserting that there is “no matter of tension” right now.
Khandu made the remarks in response to a query on the controversy over recent comments from a few quarters that confrontations with Chinese troops continue to take place in many sites along the borders in Arunachal Pradesh.
Without going into details, the chief minister said, “The Chinese do not consider the McMahon Line bordering Arunachal, so sometimes it happens… Arunachal shares a very long border with Tibet-China, nearly 1,200 km. So, patrolling parties from their side sometimes cross over to our side. It’s a transgression, not an intrusion.”
“Transgression has happened, no doubt. But it keeps happening; it is not a new thing. Because there is no line demarcation at the border, it is not defined,” Khandu said, without specifying which transgression he was referring to.
Last week, the Director General of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Shatrujeet Kapur, said that confrontations with Chinese troops continue to take place at many sites along the borders in Arunachal Pradesh, triggering a row.
Khandu was interacting with the media shortly before the inauguration of the 14th International Tourism Mart here, in the presence of Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and other dignitaries.
Asked about the recent row, Khandu said he came across the matter in news reports, which is being “discussed around”.
The chief minister was also asked about the current situation at the border, and if the controversy would impact tourism in the state.
“I think the media has unnecessarily ratcheted it up. The situation right now is normal, and our armed forces are guarding the border very well. There is no matter of tension right now,” he said, adding that the issue “will not impact tourism” in Arunachal Pradesh.
In August 2005, the Ministry of External Affairs had told the Rajya Sabha that “China disputes the legality of the McMahon Line dividing Arunachal Pradesh and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China”.
“The two sides also have differences in the perception of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the India-China border areas. Both sides carry out patrolling activity in the border areas. There are instances, from time to time, of transgression of the LAC by Chinese military personnel,” the MEA had said.
Shekhawat said on Thursday, “Our borders are secure in Modi’s India; there is nothing to worry about.”
Referring to the controversy, he suggested that there are “various attempts” in a competitive time to “spin a false narrative”, which should be rejected.
(PTI News)
