New Delhi [India], May 14 : Major General Dhruv C Katoch on Wednesday slammed China over their attempts to rename places in Indian state Arunachal Pradesh stated that the attempts of China were 'deplorable'.
"These Chinese attempts are deplorable. For no rhyme or reason, China continues to interfere with Arunachal Pradesh..." Katoch told ANI.
He also stated that the world should take notice of what China was doing in Tibet, further stating that if India took up the lead for Tibetan independence, it would be supported by the world and the United States.
"India could take up the lead for Tibetan independence, and the world, especially the United States, could support that move. Once Tibet becomes an independent country, all our problems with China will get resolved... Tibet becoming an independent country would be the long-term solution for stability in Asia," he added.
On May 14, India categorically rejected China's vain and preposterous attempts to rename places in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh and emphasised that such manoeuvres would not change the reality that Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India.
Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Randhir Jaiswal, made the remarks on Wednesday while responding to the media queries on the renaming of places in Arunachal Pradesh by China.
Jaiswal said, "We have noticed that China has persisted with its vain and preposterous attempts to name places in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. Consistent with our principled position, we reject such attempts categorically."
He added that such "creative naming" will not alter the undeniable reality that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India.
"Creative naming will not alter the undeniable reality that Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India", he said.
In the past, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had said, "If today I change the name of your house, will it become mine? Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always be a state of India. Changing names does not have an effect."
"I think we rightly called it senseless. By doing it repeatedly, it is still senseless. So I want to be very clear. Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always be India," he had said. The EAM had also emphasised, "I hope I am saying it so clearly that not only in the country but beyond the country also, people get that message very, very clearly," Jaishankar emphasised.
India has time and again firmly rebuffed the baseless arguments by China to rename Indian territories. Arunachal Pradesh, was, is and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India.