China does not have the right to rename Indian cities: Naidu
NEW DELHI : In a toughening of India’s posture after China unilaterally renamed six places in Arunachal Pradesh — in retaliation to Dalai Lama’s visit to Tawang last week — Union information and broadcasting minister M Venkaiah Naidu said on Thursday that no country has a right to rename Indian cities.
“Every inch of Arunachal Pradesh belongs to India... let them rename, how does it matter. It’s like you renaming your neighbour. It does not change his name,” Naidu told reporters at a press conference.
The move is an indication of India toughening its posture following China’s action and is likely to affect bilateral relations between the two countries.
Experts told HT that China’s move is aimed at reaffirming Beijing’s “territorial sovereignty” to the region.
Reacting to the issue, ministry of external affairs spokesperson Gopal Baglay said Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India.
He said “renaming or inventing names of states of your neighbour do not make illegal occupation as legal”.
Chinese state-run Global Times tabloid reported on Tuesday the civil affairs ministry had “standardised in Chinese characters, Tibetan and Roman alphabet the names of six places in South Tibet, which India calls ‘Arunachal Pradesh’, in accordance with the regulations of the State Council”.