India should be more vocal on China issue: Rijiju

Itanagar, Jan 23 (UNI) Asking for a clear-cut stand on the border dispute between India and China, Lok Sabha MP Kiren Rijiju today demanded that the Centre make its position clear on Arunachal Pradesh. '' Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh should speak openly whether there would be negotiation on Arunachal's territory as repeatedly claimed by China or India would not spare even an inch of land,'' he told a press conference here this evening.

He said Dr Singh had so far not uttered a single word on the Chinese claim over Arunachal's territory and the issue even did not figure in the discussion during the Prime Minister's recent visit to China.

While referring to the statement of External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee last year in Parliament that some adjustments needed to be done to solve the boundary problem with China, Mr Rijiju asked to know the exact quantum of adjustment.

Supporting Rijiju, Tapir Gao wanted to know whether India would consider the boundary of Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) in which the entire Arunachal comes. '' We want to hear from Dr. Singh that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India,'' he added.

On the proposed visit of Dr Singh to the state in later part of this month, Rijiju informed that he along with Gao would submit a letter to the Prime Minister highlighting all the necessities of the state, which could be incorporated in the packages likely to be announced during his tour.

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