Prema Wangjom Thongdok
Credit: X/ANI
New Delhi: The government on Friday informed Parliament that it has strongly taken up with Beijing the issue of detention of an Arunachal Pradesh woman at Shanghai airport recently and has also reiterated its position to the Chinese side that the state is an "integral and inalienable part of India" and this is an "indisputable fact".
Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said this in a written response to a query in Lok Sabha.
The Ministry of External Affairs was asked whether the government is aware of the recent reports concerning an "Arunachal Pradesh-born Indian citizen being detained and allegedly harassed" at Shanghai airport over the mention of her place of birth. And, whether the government has taken immediate diplomatic action with China regarding this incident and formally protested any attempt to question the status of Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India.
"The government is aware of the incident where an Arunachal Pradesh-born Indian citizen was arbitrarily detained at Shanghai International Airport. The Indian citizen was holding a valid passport and was transiting through Shanghai International Airport for onward travel to Tokyo (Japan) via Seoul (South Korea)," Singh said. The issue of the "detention" of the Indian citizen has been "taken up strongly with the Chinese side in both New Delhi and Beijing".
"The government has also reiterated its position to the Chinese side that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India and this is an indisputable fact," the minister said.
The incident had come in the backdrop of China's long-standing and frequently reiterated claim over Arunachal Pradesh, which it refers to as 'South Tibet'. India has consistently rejected these claims, asserting that the state is an integral and inalienable part of the country.
Singh said the government accords highest priority to the safety, security, and well-being of Indians abroad.
"Indian Mission and Posts remain vigilant and closely monitor any untoward incident affecting Indian nationals abroad. Such incidents are immediately taken up with the concerned authorities of the foreign country. Indian Missions/Posts abroad render all possible consular assistance to the Indian nationals, whenever required," he said.