Amit Shah
Home Minister Amit Shah launched the ‘Vibrant Villages Programme' from Kibithoo. (File image)

New Delhi: India on Tuesday strongly rejected the statement made by China over Home Minister Amit Shah‘s visit to Arunachal Pradesh.

Reacting to China’s statement, the Indian Foreign Ministry said that such objections do not change the ground reality.

China had firmly opposed Shah’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh, claiming his visit to the area was a violation of Beijing’s territorial sovereignty.

“We completely reject the comments made by the Chinese official spokesperson. Indian leaders routinely travel to the state of Arunachal Pradesh as they do to any other state of India,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a statement.

“Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India. Objecting to such visits does not stand to reason and will not change the above reality,” he said

Home  Minister Amit Shah on Monday said at Kibithoo in Arunachal Pradesh that the era is gone when anyone could encroach on our lands.

“Now, not even land equal to sui ki noke (needlepoint) can be encroached…,” Shah said.

Shah launched a village welfare programme at Kibitho in Arunachal Pradesh’s Anjaw district, some 11 km from the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and 40 km from the India, China and Myanmar tri-junction.