Rijiju Cites Antony’s 2013 Arunachal Speech, Rejects China Invasion; NDA Still on the Spot
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Kiren Rijiju recalled AK Antony's 2013 remarks on India's border infrastructure policy amid renewed concerns over Chinese activity in Arunachal Pradesh.
By Pranjal Gupta
New Delhi, August 20: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, who represents Arunachal West in the Lok Sabha, on Thursday recalled a 2013 speech by former Defence Minister AK Antony, in which he said that India had deliberately not developed border areas after Independence. Antony, however, had said the policy was intended to prevent Chinese troops from using Indian infrastructure to enter the country. The policy had been abandoned long before the UPA government came to power.
Rijiju's remarks came amid renewed concerns over reports of Chinese incursions into Arunachal Pradesh. He said border security was a "top priority" for the Narendra Modi-led NDA government.
"Some people casually commented on border. Border areas are tough but @narendramodi govt is committed to border development. I went to Maza, Galemo, Taksing areas in Arunachal Pradesh to speed up infrastructure works. Borders were neglected in the past but it's top priority now," Rijiju said in a post on X.
He invoked Antony's speech in a separate post. "Amongst the Congress leaders, A.K. Anthony Ji is very honest. As Defence Minister he admitted the Congress Govt's policy of not making border infrastructure on the floor of the Parliament," he said.
'It Was A Mistake'
On September 6, 2013, Antony told the Lok Sabha that independent India had followed a policy of not constructing roads and airfields in border areas so that Chinese troops would not have routes to enter the country. He said the policy had not worked well, as China had continued to develop its own infrastructure along the border.
He had said, "The independent India had a policy for many years that the best defence is not to develop the border. Undeveloped borders are safer than developed borders. So, for many years, there was no construction of roads or air fields on the border areas."
"By that time, China continued to develop their infrastructure in the border areas. So, as a result, they have now gone ahead of us. Compared to us, infrastructure-wise, capability-wise in the border areas, they are ahead. I admit that. It is a part of history," he had said.
The then Defence Minister added that the mistake had been realised later and that the approach had been changed nearly 20 to 25 years before his 2013 statement.
"But, of late, in the last 20-25 years, the Indian governments also realised the mistake and changed its policy. Now, we are also strengthening our capabilities in the border areas...I can tell you, without any exaggeration, that only during the last nine years, as the UPA Government, we have done the maximum to strengthen the capabilities in the border areas. In times of UPA-I & UPA-II, it is being done. And may be the future governments also will continue the same thing, whoever comes, they will continue the same thing," Antony had said.
China 60KM Inside Arunachal?
On Wednesday, Rijiju rejected claims that Chinese troops had penetrated as much as 60 km inside Arunachal Pradesh, but acknowledged concerns among local residents.
"India-China Border issue is a serious subject. Do not make false claim on such sensitive matter. We don't want to repeat the past mistakes. Govt will address the concern of the local people and protect Indian Territory," Rijiju wrote on X.
After reports of tension along the border surfaced, the Ministry of External Affairs said that peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) was critical to the overall relationship between India and China.
"In matters relating to the border areas between India and China, we have always emphasised in discussions with the Chinese side that we consider these issues as most serious," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said on August 11.
"We have also stated that the state of the border affairs will reflect on the state of our larger bilateral ties," he said, adding that maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas was of "utmost importance".
This comes after China claimed 27 locations in Arunachal Pradesh, which it calls "Zangnan region".
“China does not recognise the so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh’ illegally set up by India,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun.
