India strongly rejects China's objection to HM Amit Shah's visit to Arunachal Pradesh

New Delhi, Feb 20: India on Thursday strongly rejected China's objection to Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Arunachal Pradesh, saying any criticism of visits by Indian leaders to a state of the country does not stand to reason.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said Arunachal Pradesh is an "integral and inalienable" part of India and Indian leaders routinely travel to the state as they do to any other state.

China, which claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of south Tibet, objected to Shah's visit to the state, saying it violated Beijing's "territorial sovereignty" over it.

"Our position on Arunachal Pradesh is clear and consistent. Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India," Kumar said at a media briefing. "Objecting to the visit of Indian leaders to a state of India does not stand to reason and understanding of the Indian people," he added.

Shah is in Arunachal Pradesh to attend the 34th Statehood Day function and launch a number of development projects. China routinely objects to Indian leaders' visits to the northeastern state.

The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488-km Line of Actual Control (LAC). China and India have so far held 22 rounds of Special Representatives talks to resolve the border dispute.