Khandu criticises China for denying accreditation to athletes from Arunachal Pradesh

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Friday criticised China for denial of accreditation to three sportspersons from the state for participation in the Hangzhou Asian Games.

The three women wushu players from Arunachal Pradesh couldn't travel to Hangzhou as they were not provided the required accreditation by Chinese authorities.

Khandu said the incident was unfortunate.

''Beijing has acted against the established diplomatic norms and has shown utter disregard for the spirit of sports. People of Arunachal Pradesh, an integral part of Bharat, firmly stand by our players and vehemently oppose China's abominable decision,'' he posted on X.

''We want the International Olympic Committee to make Beijing realize the gravity of the violation they have committed and ensure the visas are immediately issued to our players,'' he added.

India has asserted that it reserves the right to take ''suitable measures'' to safeguard its interests, and Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur cancelled his visit to China as a mark of protest.

India has routinely been rejecting China's claim over Arunachal Pradesh, maintaining that the state is an integral and inalienable part of the country.