“Let me correct you here. We share a border with Tibet and not China,” Khandu said. “Officially, Tibet is under China now. That can’t be ruled out. But originally, we share a border with Tibet.”
The remarks come at a time when there are sensitivities revolving around Tibet and its next Dalai Lama, on which China has asked India not to interfere.Read more: ‘Supraglacial’ factor cause of flash floods that washed away Nepal-China friendship bridge
Khandu insisted that no Indian state shares a border with China, adding that Tibet was occupied by force in the 1950s. “And in Arunachal Pradesh, we share three international boundaries – with Bhutan, approximately 150 km, with Tibet, around 1,200 km, which is one of the longest in the country, and on the eastern side, with Myanmar, around 550 km,” Khandu said.
The Chief Minister also mentioned China’s “habit” of renaming different places in the state. China has claimed several regions of Arunachal Pradesh as its own while frequently renaming the places in the northeastern state. It has also been trying to relocate its people across the border by creating artificial villages in the region.
“I think the last time they renamed many places in Arunachal… If I am not mistaken, I think this was their fifth attempt in total. So it is not surprising for us. We know China’s habit, and I think officially the MEA has dealt with it and has given them a reply,” Khandu said.
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(Edited by : Asmita pant)
