NEW DELHI: Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said border development had become a top priority for the Narendra Modi government, while rejecting claims of fresh Chinese incursions into Arunachal Pradesh.
Rijiju, who represents Arunachal West in the Lok Sabha, said the government was accelerating infrastructure development in strategically important frontier areas. Referring to his recent visit to Maza, Galemo and Taksing, he said previous governments had neglected border infrastructure but the situation had changed under the present government.
Rijiju also criticised the Congress over its past approach to infrastructure development along the border, citing a 2013 statement by then Defence Minister A K Antony. He said Antony had acknowledged in Parliament that India had followed a policy of not developing border infrastructure for several decades after Independence.
However, Antony had also said that successive governments had recognised the shortcomings of the approach and that efforts to strengthen border infrastructure had begun well before his 2013 statement.
Rijiju’s remarks came amid concerns over reported Chinese military activity in Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Subansiri region. A day earlier, he had rejected claims that Chinese troops had penetrated up to 60 km into Indian territory, while saying the government would address concerns raised by residents of border areas.
The minister said the India-China border issue was sensitive and urged people not to make unverified claims. He reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting Indian territory and improving infrastructure in frontier regions.
The developments came amid continuing concerns over the India-China border situation, particularly in Arunachal Pradesh. The Ministry of External Affairs has maintained that peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control remain essential to the broader India-China relationship.
