Locals' concerns valid but no new Chinese occupation in Arunachal: Kiren Rijiju
Kiren Rijiju addresses concerns over grazing areas in Arunachal Pradesh while rejecting reports of a new Chinese occupation, drawing a distinction between legitimate local worries related to developments of the past and claims of fresh territorial encroachment.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has rejected reports of a new Chinese occupation in Arunachal Pradesh, while acknowledging that concerns raised by locals over access to grazing areas in the border state are valid. Rijiju underlined that the illegal Chinese presence that is being talked about right now can be traced to as far back as 1959 and that the concerns of the locals were related to developments of the past.
In an exclusive interview with India Today, Rijiju said there had been no new Chinese occupation in Arunachal Pradesh, countering reports that have claimed that Chinese troops are preventing Indian soldiers from patrolling certain key points along the state’s sensitive border with China.
Rijiju, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, made the remarks while addressing concerns emerging from local communities over access to grazing areas. Rijiju drew a distinction between the concerns being raised by people in Arunachal Pradesh and claims of a fresh occupation, noting that the concerns are linked to past Chinese infrastructure development that took place in areas where India previously had not built roads.
Rijiju suggested that the locals' concerns linked to grazing areas were coming to light now precisely because of the PM Narendra Modi-led Indian government's push since coming power in 2014 to hasten infrastructure development in the region.
The minister’s comments come against the backdrop of continuing sensitivity over Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as part of its territory and refers to as ‘Zangnan’. India has consistently rejected China’s territorial claims over the state.
“The concerns of local people regarding grazing in the state are valid, but there has been no new Chinese occupation in Arunachal Pradesh,” he said.
The minister’s remarks also come at a time when India and China are witnessing a thaw in ties that had taken a hit following the 2020 Glawan Valley clash in which 20 Indian soldiers, including a commanding officer, and several Chinese army personnel lost their lives.