Arunachal CM condemns “racial mockery” of state resident by Chinese immigration officials

A woman from Arunachal Pradesh, Prema Wangjom Thongdok, has alleged that Chinese immigration officials at Shanghai Pudong Airport humiliated her, declared her Indian passport “invalid,” and obstructed her onward travel to Japan. The incident occurred while she was transiting from London to Japan.

Thongdok, an Indian citizen living in the UK for around 14 years, said she was singled out in the immigration queue without explanation. “One of the officials came over and pulled me out of the line. When I asked what was happening, she said, ‘Arunachal— not India. China-China. Your visa is not acceptable. Your passport is invalid,’” she recounted.

She claimed that immigration staff mocked her repeatedly. “They laughed and said Arunachal is not part of India. They told me, ‘You should apply for a Chinese passport, you’re Chinese, you’re not Indian.’ The airline staff of China Eastern also joined them, pointing at my passport and mocking the name Arunachal,” she said.

Thongdok described the ordeal as distressing and isolating. “I couldn’t contact my family for a long time. It was humiliating and completely unprofessional. I have transited through Shanghai before with no issues,” she said.

After several hours, she managed to contact Indian diplomatic missions. “I called the Indian embassies in Shanghai and Beijing. Within an hour, officials arrived, got me food, spoke to the authorities, and helped me leave. It was an exhausting 18-hour ordeal, but I’m relieved to be out,” she added.

Reacting strongly to the incident, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu condemned the behaviour of Chinese immigration authorities.

“I am deeply shocked by the unacceptable treatment of Prema Wangjom Thongdok, a proud Indian citizen from Arunachal Pradesh, by Chinese immigration authorities at Shanghai Pudong Airport,” Khandu wrote on X. “Subjecting her to humiliation and racial mockery despite holding a valid Indian passport is appalling.”

Reasserting India’s position, he said, “Arunachal Pradesh is, and will always be, an integral part of India. Any insinuation otherwise is baseless and offensive.”

Khandu said the conduct violated international norms and was “an affront to the dignity of our citizens,” expressing confidence that the Ministry of External Affairs will take the matter up urgently to ensure such incidents are not repeated.