Next Doklam could be in Arunachal, warns MP

Even as China objected to the visit of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to Arunachal Pradesh, a BJP member from the state told Parliament that China has encroached on around 60 km of the state's land and warned that the next Doklam could happen in the northeastern state.

BJP member Tapir Gao told Lok Sabha on Tuesday during zero hour that whenever President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah visit Arunachal Pradesh, Beijing always raises objections.

"I request the House and media to voice protest against this," he said.

"If a repeat of Doklam takes place, it will happen in Arunachal Pradesh because China has encroached 50-60 km area of the state," he said, urging the government to take necessary steps.

When Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited the border area of Tawang last Thursday for the Maitree Divas celebration to boost civil-military friendship, the Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman said in Beijing: "The Chinese government never acknowledged the so-called Arunachal Pradesh."

China considers Arunachal Pradesh as part of south Tibet.

The over 70-day Doklam standoff between the troops of India and China took place in 2017 in Doklam trijunction of Bhutan-India-China.

The stand-off took place after China attempted to extend a road in the Doklam area, to which the Indian personnel objected.

Earlier in September, the Arunachal MP had said that the Chinese Army intruded into Arunachal Pradesh's remote Anjaw district and constructed a bridge over a stream.IANS