The reported “intrusion” by Chinese troops recently in Arunachal Pradesh left many in the eastern frontier state worried with Congress MP Ninong Ering urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to raise the issue during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in November.
“At many instances in recent times, Chinese troops have tried to enter into Arunachal Pradesh and build roads. You must intervene in such incidents and ask China to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India, for a peaceful co-existence, as envisaged in the historic Panchasheel agreement,” Ering’s letter to the PMO, submitted on Monday said. Ering cited media reports and inputs by local residents in Dibang Valley district in July, who informed Indian army men that People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops had intruded towards Anini town in Arunachal Pradesh. Indian army troops had raised the issue with the PLA prompting them to go back.
The matter came to light on Monday, a day before MOS defence Subhash Bhamre visited Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh bordering China to inaugurate a clinic for ex-servicemen and meet the army commanders guarding the disputed McMahon Line with China. The issue is likely to come up in his meeting at Tawang, situated atop 10,000 feet, bordering China, army sources on Tuesday said.
Citing similar reports of intrusion by PLA, many in Arunachal Pradesh wants Modi to take up the issue of intrusion and stapled visas offered to residents of the frontier state by China, when he is scheduled to meet Xi Jinping on the sidelines of G20 Summit in Argentina from November 30 to December 1.
China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of its Tibet province but India has repeatedly made its stand clear that Arunachal is part and parcel of the country. The Centre has stepped up implementation of the infrastructure development projects in Arunachal, keeping in mind China’s growing hegemony in the sub-continent.
China gives stapled visa to residents of Arunachal Pradesh, a practice normally adopted by the counties hostile to each other. Stamp of the visiting country is not placed on the passport of a visitor and instead on the stapled pages, which are torn apart during his/her exit, leaving no record on the passport. China also issues stapled visa to visitors from Jammu and Kashmir.
“The issue of stapled visa provided by China to the residents of Arunachal Pradesh must be brought to their attention tactfully. The government of India must assert the territorial integrity of India, and convey the feelings of Arunachal Pradesh people in firm manner,” Ering’s letter said.
A delegation of North East Students’ Organisation (NESO), a forum of eight influential student unions in the region recently met union home minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi with a request to raise the stapled visa issue with China. “People of Arunachal Pradesh feels insulted when they are denied the proper visa like any other country,” NESO advisor Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharjya said, after meeting Singh.