'Arunachal is, was, will always be part of Bharat': PM Modi rubbishes China’s claims over the northeast state
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New Delhi, April 9: Amid a row over China renaming several areas in Arunachal Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi broke silence on it and said there should be no doubt over the northeastern state being an integral part of India. He said this was evident in how the central government’s development works are "reaching Arunachal and the Northeast like the first rays of the sun, faster than ever before".
Notably, at his official residence in Delhi, PM Modi gave an exclusive interview to The Assam Tribune on the transformative story of the Northeast region.
Asked if the state is safe and if enough steps are being taken to ensure that it remains with India, Prime Minister Modi told the newspaper:
““Arunachal Pradesh is, was and shall always be an integral part of Bharat. Today, the development works are reaching Arunachal and the Northeast like the first rays of the sun, faster than ever before.””
Here is my interview with @assamtribuneoff, in which I talk about diverse subjects, particularly the transformation in the Northeast. https://t.co/LY2xURr7KK
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 8, 2024
During the interview on the transformation in the Northeast, PM Modi stressed that the Northeast is India’s greatest success story. He added that in the last 10 years, it is visible how the Modi government has ended the Northeast’s isolation and developed it as Bharat’s gateway to the East.
In the last few days, China has persistently claimed over Arunachal Pradesh have increased tensions between the two countries. Amidst, the Indian government has firmly rejected China's aggressive actions in naming 30 places in Arunachal Pradesh, supporting its unfounded claims over the region. China designated these locations with names written in Chinese characters, Tibetan script, and pinyin, the Romanised form of Mandarin Chinese.
India swiftly condemned Beijing's actions, dismissing them as "senseless attempts" to alter the ground reality in Arunachal Pradesh. Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), reaffirmed India's stance, stating, "We firmly reject such attempts. Assigning invented names will not alter the reality that Arunachal Pradesh is, has been, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India."
Despite India's consistent rejection of China's assertions, Beijing continues to assert its sovereignty over the northeastern state. The Chinese Civil Affairs Ministry has referred to Arunachal Pradesh as "Zangnan," claiming it as part of the Tibetan autonomous region.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reiterated India's stance, emphasising that changing names does not alter the territorial status. "If today I change the name of your house, will it become mine? Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always be a state of India. Changing names does not have an effect," stated Jaishankar.