Beijing [China], November 25 (ANI): China on Tuesday rejected allegations of harassment levelled by Indian national Prema Wangjom Thongdok, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, and stated that “the lawful rights and interests of the person concerned were fully protected and no compulsory measures were taken on her”.
Wangjom Thongdok had narrated her “long ordeal” and stated that she faced harassment from Chinese immigration officials at Shanghai Pudong Airport, who “mocked and raised questions” over her Indian citizenship and noted that her 18-hour ordeal came to an end with the help of officials from India’s missions in Shanghai and Beijing.
India issued a strong demarche to the Chinese side, both at the Embassy in New Delhi and the Foreign Ministry in Beijing, over the incident.
Responding to queries on the incident during a media briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning again repeated Beijing’s stance, which has always been categorically rejected by India. She also said there was no so-called “detaining” or “harassing” by the Chinese authorities.
“Zangnan is China’s territory. The Chinese side has never recognised the so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh’ illegally set up by India. On the individual case you mentioned, according to what we’ve learned, during the entire time, China’s border inspection authorities carried out checks procedures in accordance with laws and regulations, the law enforcement was impartial and non-abusive, the lawful rights and interests of the person concerned were fully protected, no compulsory measures were taken on her, and there was no so-called ‘detaining’ or ‘harassing’,” Mao Ning said.
“The airline provided her with resting facilities and meals. For anything more specific, I’d refer you to competent authorities,” she added.
Sources said that India had issued a strong demarche over the incident and the Consulate in Shanghai also took up the matter locally and extended assistance to the stranded passenger.
It was stressed that the passenger had been detained on ludicrous grounds. Arunachal Pradesh is indisputably Indian territory and its residents are perfectly entitled to hold and travel with Indian passports.
It was also highlighted that the actions of the Chinese authorities are in contravention of the Chicago and Montreal Conventions relating to civil aviation.
“A strong demarche was made with the Chinese side, in Beijing and in Delhi, on the same day the incident took place. Our Consulate in Shanghai also took up the matter locally and extended fullest assistance to the stranded passenger,” a source said.
Prema Thongdok also alleged “humiliating, questionable behaviour” from the staff of China Eastern Airlines.
She claimed that Chinese immigration officials at Shanghai Pudong Airport declared her Indian passport invalid and delayed her travel to Japan.
“When I tried to question them and ask them what the issue was, they said, ‘Arunachal is not part of India’ and started mocking and laughing and saying things like ‘you should apply for the Chinese passport, you’re Chinese, you’re not Indian,” Thongdok told ANI.
Thongdok said she is an Indian citizen residing in the United Kingdom for about 14 years and was travelling from London to Japan via a transit in Shanghai.
“One of the officials from the Chinese immigration came over and singled me out of the queue. I asked her what was happening, and she went on to say, ‘Arunachal- not India, China-China, your visa is not acceptable. Your passport is invalid’… When I tried to question them and ask them what the issue was, they said, ‘Arunachal is not part of India’ and started mocking and laughing and saying things like ‘you should apply for the Chinese passport, you’re Chinese, you’re not Indian’… I have transited through Shanghai in the past with no issues at all,” she added.
Thongdok said she couldn’t get in touch with her family for a very long time.
“The airline staff of China Eastern and about two other immigration officers were speaking in their language and saying and pointing out and saying Arunachal and laughing and calling it China, not India. That was a very humiliating, questionable behaviour from the immigration staff as well as the airline staff,” she alleged”I called up the Shanghai and Beijing Indian embassies. Within an hour, the Indian officials came to the airport, got me some food and spoke through the issues with them and helped me get out of the country. A very long ordeal, 18 hours, but glad that I’m out of there. I had my Indian passport which is a valid document…,” she added.
The incident has come amid what is being seen as an upturn in ties between India and China following interactions among the two countries’ senior leaders. India has firmly rejected China’s claims over Arunachal Pradesh, saying the northeastern state is, and will always remain, an integral and inalienable part of India.
Responding to media queries in May this year on China renaming places in Arunachal Pradesh, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said that India categorically rejects such attempts.
“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 said.
“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 added. (ANI)