India rebukes China over 'senseless' attempts of renaming places in Arunachal: 'Won't alter reality'

THE Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has strongly condemned China's latest attempt to rename several places in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. In a statement issued on April 2, the MEA criticised China's actions, stating, “China has persisted with its senseless attempts to rename places in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh."

MEA emphasised that assigning invented names to locations in Arunachal Pradesh will not change the reality that the state is an integral part of India. “We firmly reject such attempts. Assigning invented names will not alter the reality that Arunachal Pradesh is, has been, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India," the MEA statement added.

This rebuke comes after the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs released the fourth list of standardised geographical names in Zangnan, the Chinese name for Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing claims as part of south Tibet. The Chinese ministry's official website posted 30 additional names for the region.

Responding to China's move, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar remarked, “If I change the name of your house, will it become mine? Arunachal Pradesh was an Indian state, is an Indian state and will remain so in the future. Nothing will be gained by changing names."

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju also condemned China's renaming bid, stating, “I strongly condemn China's illegally 'standardised' geographical names given to 30 places inside Arunachal Pradesh. China has been making all baseless claims, but that's not going to change the ground reality and the 'historical facts'."

China's renaming of places in Arunachal Pradesh has been a longstanding source of tension between the two countries, with India firmly asserting its sovereignty over the state.

Rijiju said, “Arunachal Pradesh is an inalienable part of India, and the people of Arunachal Pradesh are supremely patriotic Indians by all standards & definitions."

The renaming issue has also drawn criticism from the opposition Congress party. Its president, Mallikarjun Kharge, condemned China's actions on Monday and urged the BJP-led Central government to take a firm stance.

“When China resorts to provocation, PM Modi attempts to seek refuge by a false narrative on Katchatheevu! Even after at least 19 rounds of bilateral talks with his Chinese counterpart, PM Modi has not able to use any diplomatic influence on China to stop this absurdity of 'renaming' Indian territories...The least Modi Govt can do is strongly condemn and reprimand China on these daily ludicrous actions and statements," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).