PM Modi should speak on China’s new map’: Rahul Gandhi
Rahul said that "The issue of the map is a very serious topic as they have intruded on our land, and the Prime Minister should speak on that too."
China’s New Map: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday, demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi speak on the issue of China showing Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin as its territory in its new “standard map”. He was interacting with the media at the airport while leaving for Karnataka’s Mandya, to launch the party’s Gruha Lakshmi scheme.
Rahul said that “The issue of the map is a very serious topic as they have intruded on our land, and the Prime Minister should speak on that too.”
Sino-India Conflict: China’s Latest Edition Map Includes Disputed Arunachal Pradesh, Aksai Chin
His remarks came a day after China, on August 28, released what it called the “2023 edition of the standard map of China” showing Aksai Chin and the whole of Arunachal Pradesh within its territory, according to reports quoting local Chinese media. The map was released by China’s Ministry of Natural Resources, they said.
This development has come four months after Beijing announced in April that it would “standardise” the names of 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh. Also, the release of the map has come at a time when the New Delhi G20 summit is less than a fortnight away, which Chinese President Xi Jinping is also expected to attend. The G20 summit is scheduled to be held between September 9 and 10.
India has always asserted that Arunachal Pradesh has “always been” and will “always be” an integral part of the country. On Tuesday, August 29, India lodged a strong protest with China over the release of a so-called “standard map” that showed Indian territory under its jurisdiction.
US recognises Arunachal Pradesh as integral part of India
“We have today lodged a strong protest through diplomatic channels with the Chinese side on the so-called 2023 “standard map” of China that lays claim to India’s territory,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said. “We reject these claims as they have no basis. Such steps by the Chinese side only complicate the resolution of the boundary question,” he added.
The protest lodged by New Delhi on the development came just hours after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, while speaking to a television channel, dismissed the “standard map” released by China.
