Chinese actions can cause 'unnecessary obstructions': Govt sources on Arunachal woman's ordeal in Shanghai
Criticising the Chinese side, the sources said these actions are "in contravention of the Chicago and Montreal Conventions relating to civil aviation".
India has made strong objection to China after a woman from Arunachal Pradesh was allegedly harassed at the Shanghai airport after Chinese officials claimed that the northeast state was a part of Beijing's territory, said sources on Monday. They further said the Indian Consulate in Shanghai took the matter locally, providing full assistance to the stranded passenger.
The sources said such actions by China can cause "unnecessary obstructions" as the two sides are working to restore normalcy on the borders. Criticising the Chinese side, the sources said these actions are "in contravention of the Chicago and Montreal Conventions relating to civil aviation".
"It was stressed that the passenger had been detained on ludicrous grounds," sources told India TV. "Arunachal Pradesh is indisputably Indian territory and its residents are perfectly entitled to hold and travel with Indian passports."
Arunachal woman recalls ordeal at Shanghai airport
The woman was identified as Prema Wangjom Thongdok, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh. In a series of X posts, Thongdok said she was travelling to Japan from London on November 21, but she had a three-hour halt in Shanghai. During her halt, the Chinese officials refused to accept her Indian passport, claiming she was from Arunachal Pradesh, which is a part of China.
Thongdok, who resides in the United Kingdom (UK) said she was continuously "harassed and humiliated" by the Chinese officials during her 18-hour ordeal, which only ended after an intervention from India's missions in Shanghai and Beijing. She said she was not even allowed to contact her family members, while she was stopped by the Chinese officials.
"One of the officials from the Chinese immigration came over and singled me out of the queue. I asked her what was happening, and she went on to say, 'Arunachal- not India, China-China, your visa is not acceptable," Thongdok told news agency ANI.
"Your passport is invalid'... When I tried to question them and ask them what the issue was, they said, 'Arunachal is not part of India' and started mocking and laughing and saying things like 'you should apply for the Chinese passport, you're Chinese, you're not Indian'," she added.
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