India hits back at China, says we have right to develop areas along their border

New Delhi, Nov 1: Brushing aside China's reservations to its plans to develop infrastructure along the border, government today said it has every right to undertake such projects in Indian territory and no one can stop it. "We will do certain infrastructural activities which have not been done in the last 60 years.

The Chinese should not have a problem with my statement.... They cannot stop me from doing my work," Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju told reporters here on the sidelines of a function here.

China had recently reacted sharply to a statement by Rijiju that India was planning to construct a road along the international boundary from Mago-Thingbu in Tawang to Vijaynagar in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh to match China's road infrastructure across the McMahon Line.

"There is a dispute about the eastern part of the China- India border. Before final settlement is reached, we hope that India will not take any action that may further complicate the situation," a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman had said. Rijiju today said he was only referring to the government's plans to improve border infrastructure within India's territory and not in Chinese territory. "I didn't say that we are going to do anything on their territory.

I am an MP from Arunachal Pradesh. I am constitutionally elected and I have the constitutional right and obligation to do whatever is right in our territory. I am looking at border management also," he said.

PTI