‘Insult to India’: Congress slams Centre after China reacts to Arunachal woman’s ‘detention’ at Shanghai airport

The party said Beijing’s remarks were “extremely objectionable” and “an insult to India”.

“This language of China is extremely objectionable. This is an insult to India. The Modi government should lodge a strong objection on this. Such low-level rhetoric regarding India will not be tolerated,” the Congress wrote.

चीन अपनी नापाक हरकतों से बाज नहीं आ रहा है।

अब चीन के विदेश मंत्रालय की प्रवक्ता माओ निंग ने कहा-

⦁ भारत ने अरुणाचल प्रदेश को अवैध तरीके से बसाया है
⦁ अरुणाचल प्रदेश भारत का Illegal Setup है
⦁ अरुणाचल प्रदेश चीन के Zangnan का हिस्सा है

चीन की ये भाषा बेहत आपत्तिजनक है। ये… pic.twitter.com/Airmqdl7ID

— Congress (@INCIndia) November 25, 2025

The Opposition party’s reaction comes after Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning doubled down on Beijing’s territorial claims, saying: “India has illegally settled Arunachal Pradesh. Arunachal Pradesh is India’s illegal setup. Arunachal Pradesh is part of China’s Zangnan.”

The Congress further accused the Centre of failing to act decisively and demanded that India lodge a strong diplomatic protest.

China rejects allegations

After Thongdok’s social media post went viral, Beijing rejected the charges, stating that its immigration officials were acting as per the law.

Thongdok, a financial advisor based in the UK, was travelling from London to Japan on November 21 when her scheduled three-hour layover in Shanghai turned into an 18-hour ordeal. She alleged that officials at Shanghai Pudong Airport singled her out, questioned her birthplace entry, and insisted that Arunachal Pradesh is part of China, making her Indian passport invalid.

She claimed she was held in a room, subjected to repeated questioning and denied clarity on why she was being detained, before eventually being allowed to travel.