Itanagar, May 15 – Strongly criticising China’s move to rename several places in Arunachal Pradesh, BJP MP Tapir Gao on Thursday called on the Indian government to reclaim territories beyond the McMahon Line inhabited by the Lhoba Tani and Mishmi communities, describing the step as a long-overdue correction of historical wrongs.
The Lok Sabha MP from Arunachal East asserted that the people living in those regions share deep civilizational links with India and that it is time to reassert sovereignty over these lands. “The McMahon Line may serve as a political boundary, but it cannot divide a shared heritage,” Gao said in a strongly worded statement.
China's Renaming Efforts Rejected
Beijing recently announced new Chinese names for 27 locations in Arunachal Pradesh, including 15 mountains, four passes, two rivers, a lake, and five inhabited areas. The move is part of its ongoing claim over Arunachal Pradesh as part of what it calls "southern Tibet."Gao dismissed the renaming campaign as a politically motivated effort to distort cultural and geographical truths. “China can rename mountains and rivers as much as it wants, but it cannot rewrite history,” he said.
This marks the fifth time China has attempted such renaming. Previous lists were issued in 2017 (6 places), 2021 (15 places), 2023 (11 places), and April 2024 (30 places), prompting consistent rebuttals from India.
Arunachal's Identity 'Not Negotiable'
Gao emphasized that Arunachal Pradesh is not just a geographic area but a vital part of India’s identity. “Bharat’s unity is not open to negotiation. Our borders are not mere lines on a map; they represent the soul of our nation. Arunachal Pradesh is not just a territory; it is an identity. And it will always remain Indian,” he asserted.He further pointed to the historical and cultural ties between indigenous groups such as the Nyishi, Tagin, Bokar, and Mishmi — collectively referred to as Lhoba Tani — and the rest of India. “Even the 14th Dalai Lama has made it abundantly clear that Arunachal Pradesh has never been part of Tibet,” Gao said.
Call to Reclaim Ancestral Lands
Highlighting what he described as historical oversights, Gao urged the central government to reclaim areas beyond the McMahon Line where the Lhoba Tani and Mishmi communities reside. “It’s time we address the historical oversights. India should move to reclaim the areas beyond the McMahon Line that are rightfully part of our country,” he stated.The central government has already termed China’s latest renaming attempt “vain and preposterous,” reaffirming that Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always remain an integral part of India.
