Dispute over Arunachal
After the successful visit of the Prime Minister of India to Arunachal
Pradesh after a gap of about 12 years and the statement by Dr Manmohan Singh
that Arunachal Pradesh is the land of our rising sun and subsequent
announcement of a package of development amounting to about 10,000 crores to
make the state one of the best in the country, there was little doubt that the
Government of India considered Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India.
However, the exercise has not made the Chinese government happy and an informal
protest had been lodged by the Chinese Foreign Office at the Indian Mission in
Beijing. The Chinese government has not recognised the McMohan Line defining
the Indian and Chinese territory in 1913 at a meeting in Shimla. In a show of
strength, China overran Arunachal, known as NEFA at that time, in the year
1962. After its unilateral withdrawal, the Indian administration has penetrated
right upto the international boundary known as Line of Actual
Control stretching 1,030 km of unfenced border with China. As pointed out by
the Minister of External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee, Arunachal has elected
representatives in Parliament and the Indian Prime Minister has the right to
visit any part of the country. The Chinese treat Arunachal as disputed area and
considered a visit by the Prime Minister to a disputed area inappropriate.
While such war of words would continue till border disputes between the two
countries were amicably resolved, more serious was the reported incursion by
the Chinese up to 20 km inside Arunachal Pradesh as claimed by the BJP MP from
Arunachal, Khiren Rijju.The Ministry of Defence have not admitted any such
incursion and dismissed the matter as due to difference in perception between
the Chinese and the Indian forces about the position of the imaginary Line of
Actual Control. Dr Manmohan Singhs recent visit to China and his talk with his
Chinese counter part was expected to clear many misgivings
between the two sides - projected as the worlds two super powers. Border
talks between the two governments failed to make substantial progress over the
issue of exchange of populated areas. While the Chinese representative favoured
exchange of populated area, the Indian representative could not agree to such a
proposal. Whatever may be the outcome of the border talks, Arunachal Pradesh
should not be used as a pawn in resolution of the border dispute. Arunachal
Pradesh is part of India, and would remain so.
Assam Tribune Editorial 11.02.08
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