Mukherjee, Sun: Thrust and parry

New Delhi, Nov. 14: A diplomatic row erupted between Delhi and Beijing today after foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee stepped in to reject Chinese ambassador Sun Yuxi’s claim that Arunachal Pradesh was not a part of India.

“Arunachal is an integral part of India,” Mukherjee said.

Sun had yesterday said the whole of Arunachal was Chinese territory. “We are claiming whole of that (Arunachal). That is our position,” a television channel had quoted the envoy as saying.

Beijing sought to downplay the controversy, which broke a week before Chinese President Hu Jintao visits India. It is the ”strategic goal” of the two countries to find an early, fair and rational solution to the vexed boundary issue, the Chinese foreign ministry said.

Sun’s reported remarks drew a sharp response from political parties in India.

“The BJP condemns and deplores these remarks,” the party said, slamming the Left’s stand.

CPM leader Sitaram Yechury said the dispute between India and China was historical and the government was discussing it. The CPI took a separate view, saying the northeastern state belonged to India.

Arunachal governor S.K Singh, a former diplomat, said it was an arrogant way of negotiating the border dispute. “It is an odd way,” he added.