Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has strongly condemned a recently published United Nations map that depicted Arunachal Pradesh separately from India, asserting that the state is an integral and inseparable part of the country.
Reacting to the map, Khandu said he strongly condemned the depiction on behalf of the people of Arunachal Pradesh and reiterated the state’s position as an integral part of India.
The controversy erupted following the publication of a UN map that showed Arunachal Pradesh as a separate region between Indian and Chinese territorial claims. The map also depicted Aksai Chin separately.
India has raised what it described as “anomalies” in the map with the concerned authorities. The government has also clarified that its support for a UN General Assembly resolution seeking more accurate and equitable cartographic representation should not be construed as approval of any particular map.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India had taken up the discrepancies with the concerned persons.
According to reports, the UN map, first published on July 1, depicted Arunachal Pradesh as an independent state bordering Assam and China and did not show its boundary with Nagaland. Aksai Chin was also shown as a separate region.
The UN has not publicly clarified the reasons behind the changes highlighted in the report.
Khandu’s remarks come amid renewed attention to the international cartographic depiction of Arunachal Pradesh and India’s long-standing position that the state is an integral part of the country.
