Tibetan PM-in-exile expresses concern over China's objection to PM's Arunachal visit

Dharamsala, Oct 14 (ANI): Rejecting China's statement on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Arunachal Pradesh, Samdhong Rinpoche, Tibetan prime minister-in-exile, has said outsiders should not interfere in the internal affairs of India.

Talking to reporters here on Tuesday, Rinpoche said: "outsiders should not dictate terms to India.

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"India is a democratic country and in a sovereign democratic country where the Prime Minister goes and where he doesn't should be decided by themselves. No outside people should dictate or say something where they should be going," he added.

Meanwhile, reacting to China's posture, BJP President Rajnath Singh, told reporters in Delhi that the Indian government along with the international community should pressurise China to stop their antics.

"I feel that the Indian government should make use of its diplomatic skills keeping in confidence with the International community and then pressurize China to put a halt to such behaviour," he added.

The Indian Government has all along indicated that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India and that the people of that state have a democratic right to elect a government of their choice.

Recently, China had blocked a part of a loan to India from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for developmental projects in Arunachal Pradesh. China also protested a visit to the state last month by exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama.

India says China is illegally occupying 43,180 sq kms of Jammu and Kashmir. On the other hand, China accuses India of possessing some 90,000 sq km of Chinese territory, mostly in Arunachal Pradesh.

China apparently saw it as India's assertion of its claim on Arunachal, which it claims is a "disputed territory". (ANI)