New Delhi [India], August 17 (ANI): AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday questioned the Centre over the situation along the India-China border in Arunachal Pradesh, asking whether the People's Liberation Army (PLA) had recently obstructed Indian Army patrols and established a presence in an area where Indian forces had earlier been patrolling.
In a post on X, Owaisi said that because of what he described as the continued silence of the Narendra Modi government, he was repeating his questions regarding the situation along the China border.
Owaisi asked whether the PLA had recently blocked Indian Army patrols from accessing an area where they had been operating earlier. He also questioned whether the Chinese forces had destroyed a temporary structure created by Indian Army personnel in an area that falls within Indian territory.
He further asked whether the PLA had pitched tents in the same area where Indian patrols had previously been operating.
"Did the PLA recently block our army patrols from accessing the area where they had been going so far?" Owaisi asked in his post.
He also questioned, "Did the PLA destroy a temporary structure created by our army patrol at an area in our territory?" and asked whether the PLA had "pitched tents in the area where our patrols were going earlier and is clearly Indian territory?"
Owaisi did not identify the specific location of the alleged activity or provide independent evidence along with his post. The allegations could not be independently verified immediately.
The questions come against the backdrop of continued sensitivity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China. Arunachal Pradesh remains a strategically important sector of the India-China boundary, with Beijing laying claims over parts of the state, while India maintains that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of the country.
The two countries have continued military and diplomatic engagements to address border tensions following the 2020 standoff in eastern Ladakh. While disengagement has taken place at several friction points, the broader boundary dispute remains unresolved.
Owaisi has also recently been vocal on other issues involving the Centre. In June, he criticised the government after the Ministry of External Affairs clarified that an Indian passport is primarily a travel document and is not, by itself, conclusive proof of Indian citizenship.
Following the MEA clarification, Owaisi posted on X that, according to the government, no document was conclusive proof of citizenship and sarcastically remarked that by 2030 only one document would be proof of citizenship. He accompanied the post with an AI-generated image referring to a BJP membership card.
The government, however, maintained that the clarification did not represent any new policy and pointed to provisions of the Passports Act, 1967, and judicial rulings to argue that possession of a passport alone does not conclusively establish citizenship.
Against this backdrop, Owaisi's latest remarks turn attention back to the security situation along India's northeastern frontier. His questions specifically concern alleged changes in the pattern of patrolling and the presence of temporary structures or tents in an area he described as Indian territory.
The developments, if confirmed, would be significant given the strategic importance of Arunachal Pradesh and India's efforts to strengthen infrastructure, connectivity, and security along its border with China.
The Centre and security agencies have not yet publicly responded to the specific allegations raised by Owaisi in his latest post. (ANI)
Owaisi questions centre over alleged Chinese activity along Arunachal border
