Arunachal Students’ Union to stage protest against China

ITANAGAR: The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) recently announced to stage a sit-in protest at IG Park on January 28 against the emerging news of the Chinese government establishing a village in Indian territory in Upper Subansiri.

According to sources, the protest will begin on Friday at 9:30 am.

In an official release, AAPSU said, “District and branch students’ unions will also organize similar protests in their respective district headquarters.”

The union further urged the students and student organizations in the Itanagar capital region, especially Rajiv Gandhi University, the NERIST, and other educational institutes, to participate in the sit-in protest.

Earlier while reacting to Indian media reports about China building a new village in Arunachal Pradesh, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that activities such as China’s construction on 'its own territory' is 'normal' and is 'entirely a matter of sovereignty.'

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While addressing media, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told, “China's position on the eastern sector of the China-India boundary, or Zangnan region (the southern part of China's Tibet), is consistent and clear. We have never recognised the so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally established on the Chinese territory.”

The country further claimed the northeastern state as part of southern Tibet.

A report by the NDTV news channel showed two images of the area in Arunachal Pradesh where it said a new village has been set up by China and consisted of about 101 homes. According to the channel, the first image dated August 26, 2019, did not show any human habitation but the second one of November 2020 shows a row of structures, presumably developed by China.

In a cautious reaction to the report, India on Monday said it keeps a constant watch on all developments having a bearing on the country's security, and takes necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi said India has stepped up the construction of border infrastructure, including roads and bridges for the improvement of the livelihood of its citizens.

'Government keeps a constant watch on all developments having a bearing on India's security and takes all the necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity,' it said.

The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The report about China setting up a new village in Arunachal Pradesh comes amid a military standoff in eastern Ladakh for over eight months.

India and China have held several rounds of military and diplomatic talks to resolve the face-off in eastern Ladakh, but no significant headway has been made so far.