Responding to a question on China continuing to stake claim to Arunachal Pradesh, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India’s position on the matter has always been clear and will not change no matter how many times Beijing “repeated its baseless claims”.
Arunachal Pradesh “was, is and will always remain” an integral and inalienable part of India and no amount of repetition of its “baseless claims” by China can change our stance on the matter, India said Thursday while responding to Beijing reiterating its claim.
“Beijing may repeat its baseless claims as many times as it wants but that is not going to change New Delhi’s position that Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of the country,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told the media during his weekly press briefing.
MEA’s response came days after Beijing repeated its claim over Arunachal Pradesh.
India’s stance is clear
Responding to a question on China continuing to stake claim to Arunachal Pradesh, Jaiswal said India’s position on the matter has always been clear and will not change no matter how many times Beijing “repeated its baseless claims”.
“Our position on the matter, Arunachal Pradesh, has been made very clear, time and again. Recently also, we issued a statement in this regard. China may repeat its baseless claims as many times as they want, that is not going to change our position,” the MEA spokesperson said.
“Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India,” he asserted.
On March 19, the MEA it had taken note of the comments made by the spokesperson of the Chinese Defence Ministry “advancing absurd claims” over the territory of Arunachal Pradesh and asserted that the state “was, is and will always be” an integral and inalienable part of India.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian on Monday reiterated China’s claim over the northeastern state.
On a query on the visit of the Sri Lankan prime minister to Beijing, he said, “We monitor all developments that have an impact on our economic and security interests and we take necessary action that are required to be taken.”
‘Nothing new’: MEA on Trudeau’s Nijjar allegations
Meanwhile, responding to a query about Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau repeating his comments on allegations linked with killing of a Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil, Jaiswal said: “What Prime Minister Trudeau has said is nothing new” and reiterated that India is ready to investigate the matter.
Recalling the comments made by his predecessor last September in a press briefing, Jaiswal said India was “ready to investigate any specific and concrete information if it shared with us. But, we are yet to receive any such information. We have also cautioned against playing politics and giving extremists more space”.
On Gurpatwant Singh Pannun
He was also asked about the Chinese foreign ministry’s comments related to the case of Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
“India and the United States, as two countries adhering to rule of law, are capable of dealing with any issues that we have between ourselves. There is no role for any speculative comments and gratuitous advice by unrelated third parties,” the MEA spokesperson said.
The United States is working with the Indian government to hold accountable those behind a plot to kill Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil, according to the Biden administration.
An Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, was charged by federal prosecutors in November last year in connection with his involvement in a foiled plot to assassinate Pannun, who holds dual citizenship of the US and Canada.
India in favour of de-escalation in Gaza
On the UN Security Council on March 25 passing a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza for the month of Ramzan, after more than five months since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict, “We see that resolution as a positive development”, the MEA spokesperson said in response to a query.
He said India has repeatedly called for “de-escalation and preventing the spread of the conflict”.
“We have condemned terrorism, called for release of hostages, protection of civilians, and reiterated the need for safe and timely delivery of humanitarian assistance and aid to the people of Palestine. And, we also stand for a two-state solution,” Jaiswal said.
(With PTI inputs)
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