Defence Minister Antony to visit Tawang

Itanagar, Apr 3: Union Defence Minister A K Antony is likely to visit Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh on April 6 next. Official sources said here today the minister to be accompanied by the Army Chief General Deepak Kumar and Defence Secretary Vijai Singh is likely to arrive at Tawang where state Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu would receive them.

The visit of the minister is purely defence related, sources informed adding, Mr. Antony is scheduled to visit some forward areas in the border district before flying by chopper to Tenga, an important Army base in the distrct. The visit of the defence minister is preceded by a three-day trip of the state Governor General (Retd.) J J Singh to Tawang last week when the former Army chief visited Army's Lumpo forward base, manned by the 27th Rajput Regiment overlooking the Indo-China border.

The defence minister attempted to visit Tawang twice last year from Tezpur in Asom' s Sonitpur district in the wake of repeated claim by state's BJP MP Kiren Rijiju about incursions by the Chinese Army in Tawang sector, but he could not make it because of inclement weather. The visit of Mr Antony assumes significance in the light of the recent disclosure by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee that China has laid claim on Tawang.

UNI