Paying price of Modi's 'clean chit' to China: Congress on Arunachal renaming row

Taking strong objection to China renaming several places in Arunachal Pradesh, the Congress on Tuesday said it is the result of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “clean chit” to the neighbouring country and his “eloquent silence” on Chinese actions at the border.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the country continues to face the consequences of Modi’s “clean chit” to China. “For the third time China has dared to rename our areas in Arunachal Pradesh. April 21, 2017 — 6 places, December 30, 2021 — 15 places, April 3, 2023 — 11 places.”

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“Arunachal Pradesh is and will remain an integral part of India. After Galwan, the country is facing the consequences of Modiji’s clean chit to China,” Kharge said in a tweet in Hindi.

AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said a top Chinese diplomat has recently claimed that the India-China border situation is now “stable”. “But China’s provocations and transgressions continue. It has now released a third set of Chinese names for places in Arunachal Pradesh, having done so earlier in 2017 and 2021. This is the price we continue to pay for PM Modi’s clean chit to China in June 2020 and his eloquent silence on Chinese actions,” Ramesh said in a statement.

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Ramesh said almost three years later, Chinese forces continue to deny Indian patrolling teams access to the strategic Depsang plains to which they previously had unimpeded access. “And now the Chinese are attempting to undermine the status quo in Arunachal Pradesh.”

“Arunachal Pradesh has always been and remains an integral and unalienable part of India. The people of Arunachal Pradesh are proud and patriotic citizens of India. There should be no doubt whatsoever on the collective resolve of India, and of all Indians, to ensure that these realities are not disturbed in any way,” the Congress leader said.

According to media reports, China has renamed 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh. India rejected the move and asserted that the state has “been” and will “always be” an integral part of India. This is the third time that China has “renamed” places in Arunachal Pradesh, which it calls “Zangnan, the southern part of Tibet”.

(With Agency inputs)