Itanagar, Nov 25 (UNI) Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Tuesday expressed deep shock and strong condemnation over the alleged mistreatment of Prema Wangjom Thongdok, an Indian citizen from Arunachal Pradesh, by Chinese immigration authorities recently at Shanghai Pudong Airport.
In a statement, Khandu described the incident as “unacceptable” and said subjecting an Indian citizen holding a valid Indian passport to alleged humiliation and racial mockery was “appalling and deeply disturbing.”
“Arunachal Pradesh is, and will always be, an integral part of India. Any insinuation otherwise is baseless and offensive,” the Chief Minister said, terming the reported behaviour as a violation of international norms and an affront to the dignity of Indian citizens.
Calling for urgent intervention, CM Khandu said he was confident that the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, would take up the matter with the Chinese authorities to ensure that such incidents are not repeated in the future.
The woman was detained for nearly 18 hours at Shanghai airport after Chinese immigration officials refused to recognise the validity of her Indian passport during a transit halt.
Thongdok, who was travelling from London to Japan on November 21, claimed that her scheduled three-hour layover turned into a traumatising ordeal when immigration officials declared her passport “invalid” solely because it listed Arunachal Pradesh as her place of birth.
The incident has triggered widespread concern in the state, with people and civil society organisations demanding respect for the rights and dignity of Indian citizens abroad.
