Congress accuses BJP leaders of normalising Chinese transgressions after Arunachal CM's remarks

The Congress on October 30 accused BJP leaders of rationalising Chinese actions instead of asserting India's position, after Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu said that Chinese transgressions along the border were not new and continued to happen.

The opposition party's attack came a day after Khandu said the situation along Arunachal Pradesh's border areas was normal and that Indian armed forces were guarding the frontiers effectively. He asserted that there was "no matter of tension" at present.

Responding to questions about reports of confrontations between Indian and Chinese troops at several locations along the border, Khandu said China did not recognise the McMahon Line, which separates Arunachal Pradesh from Tibet.

"Transgression has happened, no doubt. But it keeps happening; it is not a new thing. Because there is no line demarcation at the border, it is not defined," he said, without specifying the incidents he was referring to.

Reacting to the remarks, Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said Khandu had dismissed reports of Chinese incursions in Taksing earlier this summer but had now acknowledged that transgressions had taken place.

Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's earlier assertion that no one had entered Indian territory, Ramesh said the chief minister was treating the situation as normal.

"The issue is no longer just Chinese transgressions. It is the BJP's growing tendency to treat them as normal," he said in a post on X.

Ramesh also referred to remarks by the Director General of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Shatrujeet Kapur, who said last week that confrontations with Chinese troops continued at several locations along the Arunachal Pradesh border, with some still ongoing.

The Congress leader alleged that the chief minister was blaming the lack of a clearly demarcated boundary instead of asserting India's position. He also claimed that local residents had reported the presence of People's Liberation Army (PLA) camps on the Indian side and the loss of patrolling points.

Ramesh further raised concerns over China's reported renaming of places in India and the construction of a 60,000-MW dam at the Great Bend. He also criticised the Modi government's approach to trade with China, citing a record USD 112.6 billion trade deficit.

"The self-anointed Vishwaguru rolls out the red carpet for Chinese capital, even as a record USD 112.6 billion trade deficit crushes our MSMEs," he said, adding that "Make in India" had become "Import from China".

Ramesh also alleged that Khandu's remarks reflected the position of the prime minister and referred to a Supreme Court-ordered CBI inquiry into decisions taken by the chief minister as PWD minister between 2015 and 2025.

The Congress has repeatedly criticised the Modi government over its handling of relations with China and alleged incursions along the border. The government has rejected such allegations, while the BJP has accused the opposition of demoralising the armed forces.

Khandu made the remarks while interacting with the media ahead of the inauguration of the 14th International Tourism Mart, attended by Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and other dignitaries.