China building roads not new, inherited from Congress: Arunachal Pradesh BJP MP

China has constructed military stations, two-lane roads and hydroelectric projects in the land it "occupied" inside McMahon Line in Arunachal Pradesh since 1962 war, BJP MP from Arunachal Pradesh, Tapir Gao claimed amid media reports that the neighbouring country constructed a village inside Indian territory.

"That China is carrying out construction activities in the land it occupied since 1962 is not new. They have constructed two-lane road, hydropower projects and military stations since 1980s. These activities has been carried out not in a year or two,"(sic) Gao told a news channel based in Guwahati while reacting to media reports claiming that China constructed a village of over 101 houses inside Indian territory in Upper Subansiri district.

Also read — China building infrastructure along Indian borders for several years: MEA

Gao had earlier claimed that China "occupied" about 50 to 60 square kilometres of Indian land inside the McMahon Line that demarcates the border between India and China. However, China disputes the legal status of the McMahon Line decided between the British administrator Sir Henry McMahon and the Tibetan representative in 1914.

Based on satellite imagery, a news report by NDTV on Monday claimed that the village came up near the Tsari Chu river, about 4.5 km inside Indian territory. Although Arunachal Pradesh government was yet to react to the news report, Kanto Danggen, the deputy commissioner of Upper Subansiri district told DH that the district administration has no report about it.

Attacking Congress, Gao said the land was "occupied" by China during Congress governments in the past. "The land was occupied during the tenure of former Prime Ministers Rajiv Gandhi, PV Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh. Now Congress has no right to criticise Prime Minister Narendra Modi for this," Gao said.

Also read — Chidambaram demands explanation from govt on BJP MP's claim of 'Chinese' village in Arunachal Pradesh

Gao, who was elected to Lok Sabha from Arunachal East Constituency in 2019, however, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up the issue urgently with China so that McMahon Line is accepted as the border. "At the same time, government of India should construct roads up to McMohan Line so that our forces can guard the areas," he said