‘Why perceive yourself as weak?’: Arunachal minister Balo Raja hits out over remarks on China border face-offs

Arunachal Pradesh Urban Affairs, Land Management and Civil Aviation Minister Balo Raja on October 28 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 during the ongoing political debate over the border situation, Raja said India’s growing intelligence capabilities should not be overlooked and questioned why senior officials should project the country as being 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 come amid controversy over reported comments by ITBP Director General Shatrujeet Singh Kapur regarding continuing face-offs between Indian and Chinese forces at several locations along the Arunachal Pradesh frontier.

The issue has also drawn criticism from opposition leaders, with AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on October 24 demanding a detailed explanation from the Narendra Modi-led government over alleged Chinese intrusions and reports of Indian patrols and civilians being prevented from accessing certain areas.

Owaisi said the reported remarks attributed to the ITBP chief raised serious questions about the situation along the border. He accused the Centre of withholding information from the public and said his earlier questions on the matter 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 persisted and sought clarification on the government's approach towards China.

Criticising the lack of parliamentary debate on the border 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, questioning 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 India's territorial security and its policy towards China.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has clarified its position following the controversy surrounding the ITBP director general's reported remarks.

During a briefing on Friday, the MEA said questions concerning 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 departed 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 ministry said.

The MEA added that both countries continued to rely on 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 maintaining stability along the frontier, the ministry said, “the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas is essential for the overall development of bilateral relations.”