China criticises Amit Shah's visit to Arunachal Pradesh

China on April 10 criticised Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Arunachal Pradesh saying that it violated the territorial sovereignty of Bejing.

Shah on April 10 launched the 'Vibrant Villages Programme' from Kibithoo, the border village of Arunachal Pradesh.

''The visit “violates China’s territorial sovereignty, and is not conducive to the peace and tranquillity of the border situation,” Reuters quoted China spokesperson Wang Wenbin as saying.

It is worth mentioning that China recently renamed some places that lie in Arunachal Pradesh in an attempt to stake its claim.

Later, India outrightly rejected China's claim and said that the state is an integral part of India and assigning names does not alter this reality.

"We have seen such reports. This is not the first time China has made such an attempt. We reject this outright," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in New Delhi.

"Arunachal Pradesh is, has been, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Attempts to assign invented names will not alter this reality," he added.

Meanwhile, speaking exclusively to India Today NE, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu called Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Kibithoo, the last Indian town bordering China, a ‘historic’ moment.

The Union Home Minister landed in Arunachal Pradesh’s Kibithoo village to launch the centrally sponsored ‘Vibrant Village Programme’.

Shah will also inaugurate nine micro hydel projects built under the “Golden Jubilee Border Illumination Programme” in Kibithoo, and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) projects. 

Besides this, he will interact with ITBP personnel at the Anjaw district village.

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