China grants visas to Kailash Mansarovar Yatra pilgrims

New Delhi, Aug 07: China on Wednesday granted visas to a group of Indians undertaking the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra on Wednesday, hours after the country opposed India's move to make Ladakh a new union territory.

The pilgrims are scheduled to reach Tibet after a bus journey through the Lipulekh pass and are currently waiting for the travel documents from the Chinese embassy in Delhi.

While one batch left at 6am by bus, the other group is reported to left around 11am.

China on Tuesday said they should avoid actions that "unilaterally" change the status quo and exacerbate tensions between them as it voiced "serious concern" over the situation in Kashmir.

China also expressed its opposition to India's move to create a separate Union Territory of Ladakh.

In New Delhi, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "India does not comment on the internal affairs of other countries and similarly expects other countries to do likewise."

The Indian government on Monday revoked Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and proposed that the state be bifurcated into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

India has showcased the yatra as a sign of normalisation of ties between the two sides.