Rahul Gandhi demands statement from PM Modi after China releases new map
PTC News Desk: After China released a new map that claims ownership of Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has demanded a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the matter.
China's claim has been categorically rejected by India.
China released a new "standard" map on Monday that includes Aksai Chin, which it occupied during the 1962 war, and Arunachal Pradesh, which it claims as South Tibet. As in previous editions, the map depicts the whole South China Sea as part of China.
"I've been saying for years that what the Prime Minister said about not losing an inch of land in Ladakh is a lie. The entire Ladakh region knows that China has transgressed. This map problem is quite serious. They have taken away the land. PM should say something about it," Rahul Gandhi said.
Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar criticized China's long-standing practice of asserting ownership over territories that don't rightfully belong to them. In an interview with NDTV, Jaishankar dismissed China's recent "absurd claims" by releasing a new version of their "standard map," emphasizing that merely publishing a map doesn't alter facts on the ground.
Jaishankar's remarks came in response to China's unveiling of the 2023 edition of its "standard map," which portrays Arunachal Pradesh and the Aksai Chin region as part of China's territory, contrary to India's sovereign control over these areas. In his exclusive interview, the External Affairs Minister commented, "China has put out maps with territories (that are) not theirs. (It is an) old habit. Just by putting out maps with parts of India... this doesn't change anything."
"Our government is very clear about what our territories are. Making absurd claims does not make other people's territories yours," Jaishankar reaffirmed during the NDTV interview. Released on August 28, China's map asserts its control over Arunachal Pradesh, which it claims as "South Tibet," and the Aksai Chin region, occupied by China during the 1962 war. The map also lays claims to Taiwan and the contentious South China Sea.
- With inputs from agencies
