Tawang-bound, Advani says: Make no concession to China

To make his point to the UPA government that it cannot compromise on Tawang in the resolution of India-China boundary dispute, Opposition leader LK Advani is flying to Arunachal Pradesh tomorrow.

To make his point to the UPA government that it cannot compromise on Tawang in the resolution of India-China boundary dispute, Opposition leader LK Advani is flying to Arunachal Pradesh tomorrow.

Making his first visit to the snow-bound Tawang along with two BJP MPs from Arunachal Pradesh, Advani will use the platform to repudiate the reported statement of Ambassador Sun Yuxi that 8220;portions of Arunachal Pradesh were being actively negotiated between India and China.8221;

The Leader of the Opposition will spend the night in Tawang and return to Delhi on Friday.

It is another matter that by going to Tawang, he will give a go-by of his party8217;s yet another march to President APJ Abdul Kalam in support of Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee over the Singur issue on Thursday.

Talking to The Indian Express, LK Advani said the reported statement of Ambassador Sun reneged on the understanding reached with China during the NDA regime. He said during the NDA regime the Chinese had conveyed that settled population would not be disturbed in the final boundary dispute settlement. 8220;Tawang has significant population that makes up for three Assembly constituencies,8221; he said.

Advani said he decided on visiting Tawang after a lukewarm response from the UPA government in the Winter Session of Parliament. 8220;I want to tell the Prime Minister that integrity of the country is non-negotiable 8212; be it Tawang with Chinese or Jammu and Kashmir with the Pakistanis,8221; he said emphatically.

In fact, last week Advani called up Defence Minister AK Antony and expressed his desire to go to Tawang. 8220;I told Antony that I had been to Arunachal Pradesh a couple of times but not to Tawang. Antony agreed and even put an Indian Air Force helicopter to lift me from Guwahati,8221; he added.

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But even with Antony8217;s help the last word on Advani8217;s visit will be the weather as Delhi airport continues to be fogged out and it8217;s snowing in Tawang.