Amidst the raging controversy over the construction of a village in Arunachal Pradesh by China, Shiv Sena Member of the Parliament (MP) Priyanka Chaturvedi said the situation was alarming and demanded answers from the Centre. In two separate letters to Union Ministers S Jaishankar and Rajnath Singh, Chaturvedi asked, “Will the government be transparent and clarify the actual situation on ground? While our soldiers have been bravely fighting out these incursions, it is saddening to see the political blame game being indulged in by the Government of India. Till when will the government continue to blame the past to justify the present and future decisions?”
"This is to bring to your urgent attention the building of new settlements by China in the Indian Territory of Arunachal Pradesh within the past year, as per the satellite images available in public domain,” wrote the Shiv Sena MP in her letters. “What stops us from seeking accountability from China considering the current government came on the plank of prioritizing nationalism and border security?” she asked.
"As per the news reports, this newly built Chinese village is approximately within 4.5 km of our territory of the de facto border. As per the official government maps, this area is part of the Indian Territory, but has been in Chinese control since 1959. However, while earlier, only a Chinese military post existed in these areas, this time a full-fledged village has been built in it.
While Chaturvedi highlighted that China has been stepping up expansionism in the borderlands, she took a swipe at the Centre, noting that the Government of India ‘is not even willing to call China out by name’. She also highlighted that by constructing these villages, China is borderline violating international law.
She urged the ministers to reply on how much of our land at present has been illegally occupied by China since 1947 onwards and as per GoI records the chronology of occupation of these parcels of lands? What has changed in the status quo since 2014 -- has India recovered any land illegally occupied by China or have we given up claim on them as justified by cabinet ministers and leaders? What is the Government of India doing to recover these occupied territories?
