Tracking report on intrusion into Arunachal Pradesh: Government

By Express News Service
NEW DELHI, GUWAHATI: Reacting to a report on China building a village within the Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday said the government is keeping a watch on all the developments that have a bearing on country’s security and territorial integrity.

However, the district magistrate (DM) of Upper Subansiri, where the alleged encroachment has taken place, expressed ignorance of the issue. 

“I just heard it. I am in the district but there is no such information from any source or villagers. The district administration has not received any such report,” DM Kanto Danggen said adding “the district is vast and remote. In many areas along the border, there is hardly any population.”

Meanwhile, an MEA official said they have taken note of recent reports on China undertaking construction works along the border areas with India. “In response, our government too has strengthened the border infrastructure on our side,” the official said. The MLA from the region, Ninong Ering, said, “It is difficult to ascertain but China is building infrastructure along the whole Arunachal border.”

Incidently, Chief Minister Pema Khandu, who had been in his home district of Tawang for past three days on an official trip, left for Delhi on Monday. It was not immediately known if the visit was pre-scheduled. “I don’t know if it was prescheduled. He just went off,” a source in the Chief Minister’s Office said.

The report of Chinese encroachment comes days after a US declassified document claimed that India has the capacity to counter Chinese provocations.

“India remains preeminent in South Asia and takes the leading role in maintaining Indian Ocean security, increases engagement with Southeast Asia, and expands its economic, defence, and diplomatic cooperation with other US allies and partners in the region,” the document stated.

‘China has undertaken such activity in past too’

An MEA official said China has undertaken such construction activity in the past several years. “The government takes all necessary measures to safeguard the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”