BJP regrets PM's silence over Chinese claims

Itanagar, Feb 1 (UNI) The BJP unit in Arunachal Pradesh has expressed concern over Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's ''silence'', regarding repeated intrusions by China in Arunachal territory.

Addressing a public meeting here last evening, party members said, ''Dr Singh, during his maiden visit to the State, soon after his visit to Beijing, was expected to give firm assurance of the Centre's commitment that every inch of Arunachal Pradesh would be protected at any cost. This had brought confidence in the minds of the people. However, it was shocking to hear no mention of it in his public address.'' Regretting that the party had been denied appointment with the Indian premier, the BJP said notwithstanding any party barriers, the people of the State anonymously felt that the PM's initiative in changing India's approach towards Arunachal Pradesh, bordering China, needed a serious thrust. ''It is in New Delhi's ''strategic'' interest,'' their communique stated.

While submitting a seven-point memorandum, the party urged Dr Singh to convince his Chinese counterpart to respect the bilateral agreement signed in 2003 between both the nations and maintain the status quo in the areas of both sides of the Mc Mohan Line.

''A firm assurance reiterating that not a single inch of Arunachal land will be compromised and the same should be adopted in a resolution in the ensuing Budget session of Parliament,'' the memorandum added.

The memorandum further demanded that the lackadaisical approach of the Centre to isolate border areas must be changed and declared that the network of roads, telecommunication and other important infrastructural services needed urgent development to match up with the neighbouring country's level in order to meet the frequencies and in case of any eventualities.

The elements of insurgency, terrorism, arms trafficking, unabated circulations of fake currencies, narcotics smuggling and large scale influx of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants to the region were taking place due to lack of proper border managements system, the memorandum further stated.

It further went on to urge the Centre to release a one-time special support grant against all the incomplete or ongoing Centrally-sponsored schemes during the current fiscal for their time-bound completion, Special budgetary provisions for infrastructural development of Arunachal Pradesh to be incorporated in the 11th Five-Year Plan and sanction of immediate CBI enquiry and investigations on the multi-crore scam and corruptions in the Public Distribution System(PDS) sector.

The memorandom also alleged nexus of the senior state political leaders with insurgents.

UNI UPB LL DS SSC1247