Chinese transgression condemnable: Arunachal CM

Naharlagun (Arunachal Pradesh), Sept. 24 (ANI): Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki today admitted that a transgression by China's 50-member People's Liberation Army (PLA) patrol had a face-off with the Indian Army patrol team at Plam-Plam after crossing the Hadigra Pass, about 25 km within Indian territory, but about 50 km from Chaglagam in Anjaw District.

He was responding to a calling attention motion in the Assembly by Roing MLA Laeta Umbrey as to how Chinese incursions had seriously jeopardized peace and livelihood of the people living in border districts.

The Indian Army has admitted 500 incursions during the last two years, including the recent one in Anjaw district, and attributed such incursions to the tough hilly terrain, the imaginary Line of Actual Control (LAC) without any demarcation and uninhabited region of this Himalayan state.

"Our great country's reaction was shocking," Umbrey said and wanted the chief minister to move the central leaders. Terming it as a central subject, Tuki said "Such transgression should be univocally condemned in national interest. While pointing out that the large border between Bhutan, China and Myanmar demarcated by McMahon line," he said it was impossible even for the Army personnel to man the entire inhospitable areas.

"I've visited many of the border posts along Indo-China border without road connectivity. The security forces against all odds are guarding the frontiers. There are border areas without habitation where which I have planned to tour myself to know the ground realities. The advance landing grounds which were non-operational are being made operational now while airports would be developed in many district HQs, including green airfield at Itanagar," the CM informed.

Referring to a news channel's coverage on the Chinese incursion with two years' old footage, the chief minister said such information could create fear psychosis on internal and external security. The two great countries have diplomatic relations, which have to be maintained. But it is intriguing that Chinese continue to claim over our territory. He advocated that proper negotiations and exchange of views by the central government to resolve the issue as Arunachal is not a party to the bilateral dialogue, he clarified.

The first Arunachal Scout Battalion has been commissioned and deployed along the border while recruitment for 2nd Bn began at Aalo recently, the CM said, adding that "Our youth have the potential and acclimatization with the inhospitable area making them best suited to guard the border."

"We have full faith in our defence forces defending the nation who will not compromise with the external security of the nation. But the Centre has to develop infrastructure and communication. If they (Chinese) could develop on the other side why not this side?" Tuki said assuring to covey the sentiment of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Defence Minister A K Antony. The four-day session concluded today. By Pradeep Kumar (ANI)

Since 2007, when we visited Sikkim and went to the Northern part bordering China and seeing our own poor infrastructure there, I have been saying that we are very vulnerable to any Chinese attack.

In between, I have said the same on a number of occasions.

In 1961, under the Congress government of J L Nehru, we slept and the Chinese walked in right through without any resistance from us.

Earlier, when they just ran through Tibet we did not utter any voice of protest.

Now, we are acting in the same cowardly way.

A state government is voicing its concern but the centre tells us not to worry.

They are just interested in playing vote bank politics in Muzzaffarnagar and collecting money by their corrupt ways.