GUWAHATI: The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) reiterated its opposition to the reported move by China to establish a village in Upper Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh and demanded counter measures by the BJP-led government at the Centre to thwart the “expansionist move of the Chinese government.”
The students union on Thursday organised a sit-in-demonstration in Itanagar and across all district headquarters of the state, demanding “strong steps by the Centre against Chinese intrusions.”
“We want to send a strong message through this demonstration that we reject the Chinese claim on our state and warn the neighbouring country against such intrusions. At the same time, we want our government to act tough and thwart China’s expansionist moves,” AAPSU general secretary Tobom Dai said.
Dai hoped that the BJP-led government at the Centre would respond to their demands and stake strong steps.
“We also want to see development in the remote border villages as owing to lack of infrastructure such as schools, hospitals and roads, the residents can have a tendency to migrate from there,” he said.
The AAPSU leader further said that due to the presence of the Indian Army, “we are not allowed to visit the remote villages on the border. These villages are cut off and the need of the hour is to develop them and prevent them from encroachment.”
“We will be submitting a memorandum to the Prime Minister’s Office soon in regard to improving the military apparatus along the borders of this frontier state so that our villages are protected,” he reiterated.
AAPSU president Hawa Bagang blamed the Centre for the lethargic and non-committal approach, which he said, “is emboldening the neighbouring country to carry out expansionist designs”
“The central government needs to strengthen security along the borders of our state. If the country calls for duty, our youths are ready to stand up even with arms in defending the country,” the union leader said.