Arunachal Pradesh Urban Affairs, Land Management and Civil Aviation Minister Balo Raja on Tuesday asserted that India was in a position of strength along the China border, questioning remarks attributed to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) leadership about continuing face-offs along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Speaking to reporters in Itanagar, Raja stressed India’s growing intelligence capabilities and questioned why senior officials should portray the country as weak.
“Why make statements like that when you are a DIG? Why perceive yourself as weak? India is very strong,” Raja said, referring to the spy thriller Dhurandhar to highlight the country’s intelligence capabilities.
“You must have seen the ‘Dhurandhar’ movie; watch it, and you will see how much India’s intelligence capabilities have grown,” he added.
Raja’s remarks came amid a controversy over reported comments by ITBP Director General Shatrujeet Singh Kapur concerning continuing face-offs between Indian and Chinese forces at several locations along the Arunachal Pradesh frontier.
The issue also drew criticism from opposition leaders, with AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on October 24 seeking a detailed explanation from the Narendra Modi-led government over alleged Chinese intrusions and reports that Indian patrols and civilians had been prevented from accessing certain areas.
Owaisi said the reported remarks attributed to the ITBP chief raised serious questions about the border situation. He accused the Centre of withholding information from the public and said his earlier questions had not received satisfactory answers.
He sought details on the number of locations in Arunachal Pradesh where Chinese troops had allegedly intruded, obstructed Indian patrols and civilians, and refused to withdraw. He also questioned how long the alleged situation had continued and sought clarity on the government’s approach towards China.
Criticising the absence of parliamentary debate on the issue, Owaisi called for greater transparency and accountability. He referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks in June 2020 concerning Chinese presence in Indian territory and questioned their accuracy in light of subsequent developments.
The AIMIM chief demanded a comprehensive, independent report on the border situation and called for a special session of Parliament to discuss territorial security and India’s policy towards China.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified its position following the controversy surrounding the ITBP director general’s reported remarks.
During a briefing on Friday, the ministry said questions about specific incidents should be directed to the Ministry of Defence. It also acknowledged that the situation along the India-China border could be disrupted when Chinese forces deviated from established patrolling patterns.
“As we have noted in the past, the situation in the India-China border areas gets disturbed from time to time when Chinese forces diverge from established patrolling patterns,” the MEA said.
The ministry added that both countries continued to use existing diplomatic and military mechanisms to resolve outstanding issues and prevent misunderstandings along the LAC. It also said the two sides had agreed to discuss ways to improve their understanding of the LAC in certain areas to strengthen border management.
Emphasising the importance of stability along the frontier, the MEA said, “the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas is essential for the overall development of bilateral relations.”
