Protest in Arunachal over 'Chinese village', students' body blames Centre

The All Arunachal PradeshStudents' Union (AAPSU) on Thursday staged a protest overChina reportedly establishing a village in the Upper Subansiridistrict of the state.

The apex students' body of the state along with 16 ofits federal units and community-based organisation staged asit-in at Indira Gandhi Park here, demanding the Centre to''act tough'' on the issue.

The union, armed with banners and placards, condemnedthe nefarious activities of China and slammed the Centre forremaining ''silent'' over the issue.

Speaking to reporters, AAPSU president Hawa Bagangblamed the Centre for its ''failure in protecting'' the statefrom ''foreign incursion''.

''The AAPSU is ready to fight against the Chinesemilitary if the central government authorises,'' Bagang said.

Bagang urged the MPs from the state to be vocal onsuch matters, concerning the interest of Arunachal Pradesh andits people.

He also appealed to the central government for roadand telecommunication connectivity in the border areas,besides releasing developmental packages and increasingmilitary deployment in the frontier state.

''The symbolic protest is a message to the Centre thatthe indigenous people of the state reject the repeated claimof China over the state's territory,'' AAPSU general secretaryTobom Dai said.

The people of the state are frustrated against thelackadaisical attitude of the Centre towards such seriousissues, he said.

Stating that China's claim over the state's territoryis an old issue, Dai blamed the successive central governmentsled by the Congress and the BJP for not taking the matterseriously.

North East Students' Organisation (NESO) coordinatorPritam Bhai Sonam urged the government for collective measuresand not to play the blame game when the issue is of nationalinterest.