Modi in Arunachal: China sees red, PM says people greet each other with ‘Jai Hind’ in the state

Visiting Arunachal Pradesh under the shadow of protests by China, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today hailed the patriotic nature of the people of the border state, saying they greet each other with ‘Jai Hind’ and announced naming the New Delhi-Naharlagun Express as “Arunachal Express”.

Modi’s second visit to Arunachal Pradesh was vehemently opposed by China which urged India to refrain from taking any action that may “complicate” the boundary question. It is his first visit to the frontier state after the Army’s standoff with Chinese soldiers in Doklam plateau last year. Modi, who earlier visited Arunachal Pradesh in February 2015, told a public rally here that he “cannot stay without meeting you all”. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of South Tibet. Clad in traditional tribal headgear, Modi dedicated the state civil secretariat building to the people, laid the foundation stone for the Academic Block of the Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Science and inaugurated the Dorjee Khandu state convention centre.

“My visit to Arunachal Pradesh is related to three key projects in the state. The secretariat is already functional and this was a good step taken by the state government,” he said at the rally at the Indira Gandhi …read more