Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India: MEA
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New Delhi (PTI): India on Tuesday rejected China's response to the detention of an Indian national from Arunachal Pradesh at the Shanghai airport, and asserted that the border state is an integral part of the country.
Pema Wang Thongdok alleged that Chinese immigration officials at the airport detained her for 18 hours on November 21 during a transit halt after refusing to recognise her Indian passport as her birthplace was Arunachal Pradesh.
The Chinese foreign ministry on Tuesday rejected the allegations, saying the actions were in accordance with the regulations. It also reiterated China's claim over Arunachal Pradesh.
"We have seen statements made by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the arbitrary detention of an Indian citizen from Arunachal Pradesh, who was holding a valid passport and was transiting through Shanghai International Airport on her onward travel to Japan," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
"Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India, and this is a self-evident fact. No amount of denial by the Chinese side is going to change this indisputable reality," he said.
Jaiswal said the issue of the detention of the Indian national has been taken up strongly with the Chinese side.
"Chinese authorities have still not been able to explain their actions, which are in violation of several conventions governing international air travel," he said.
"The actions by the Chinese authorities also violate their own regulations that allow visa-free transit up to 24 hours for nationals of all countries," he added.
India has already lodged a strong protest with China over the incident.
In a series of social media posts, Thongdok said Chinese immigration officials at the Shanghai airport detained her for 18 hours on the ground that her passport was "invalid" as her birthplace was Arunachal Pradesh.
"They called my Indian passport invalid as my birthplace is Arunachal Pradesh which they claimed is Chinese territory," she said.
A strong demarche (a formal diplomatic protest) was made with the Chinese side, in Beijing and in Delhi on the same day the incident took place, government sources said on Monday.
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TN govt reaffirms 21-yr age limit for liquor sales
Chennai (PTI): Seeking to curb rising alcohol consumption among minors in the state, the Tamil Nadu government has reinforced the legal age requirement of 21 for all liquor purchases and consumption.
The government has also ordered the closure of 717 liquor outlets across the state and warned of strict action against those who violate the new directives.
The state-owned Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC), the agency which holds a monopoly on sales of liquor, will be shutting 276 outlets near places of worship, 186 near educational institutions and 255 outlets near bus stations.
A senior TASMAC official on Thursday said that the staff at liquor shops have been instructed to check identity proof, including Aadhaar card, for all customers whose age is in question.
The official also said that the state government is considering a reduction in operational hours.
Currently, the liquor shops across the state operate from 12 noon to 10 pm.
"They are weighing a proposal to move the closing time to 8 pm," he added.
At present, the TASMAC operates a total of 4,765 liquor shops across the state. After the closure of 717 shops, it would come down to 4,048 outlets.
In 2025, the revenue from liquor sales stood at Rs 48,344 crore, which is the second highest after the registration department.
