New Delhi (PTI): India on Wednesday outrightly rejected China's attempts to rename some places in Arunachal Pradesh, saying such "preposterous" attempts will not alter the "undeniable" reality that the state "was, is, and will" always remain an integral part of India.

New Delhi's reaction came in response to Beijing announcing Chinese names for some places in Arunachal Pradesh, which the neighbouring country claims as the southern part of Tibet.

"We have noticed that China has persisted with its vain and preposterous attempts to name places in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

"Consistent with our principled position, we reject such attempts categorically," he said.

Jaiswal was responding to a media query on the issue.

"Creative naming will not alter the undeniable reality that Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India," he said.

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Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court has strongly criticised the Assam government’s decision to allot nearly 3,000 bighas of tribal land in Dima Hasao district to a private cement company, Mahabal Cements, for mining operations. The court emphasised that public interest should take precedence over private gains.

During a recent hearing, Justice Sanjay Kumar Medhi expressed astonishment at the land allocation, saying, “3,000 bighas! The entire district? What is going on? A private company being given 3,000 bighas? We know how barren the land is, but 3,000 bighas? What kind of decision is this? Is this some kind of joke? Public interest, not private interest, is what matters.”

The observations came after arguments presented on behalf of the company, which claimed that the land was barren and essential for operating its cement plant.

The allotment has drawn criticism from opposition parties and local groups. Earlier, a Congress delegation, led by then state unit president Bhupen Kumar Borah and current Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia, met the Governor to raise concerns on behalf of indigenous communities from Borolokhindong, Tharvelangso, and nearby villages.

In a memorandum, the Congress alleged that the government was preparing to hand over nearly 9,000 bighas in Dima Hasao to corporate interests with close links to the ruling BJP, disregarding the rights and sentiments of tribal communities. “This is not just a land issue. It’s about survival and safeguarding the identity of Dima Hasao’s indigenous people,” the memorandum stated.

Reacting to the court’s comments, Assam Congress accused the BJP government of “blatant crony capitalism,” highlighting the alleged favouritism shown to private corporations. In a post on X, the party said, “Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma handed over 3,000 bighas (81 million sq ft) of tribal land to Adani for a cement factory. The BJP government’s actions shamelessly hand over the country’s resources to corporate allies, while the poor are left to struggle.”

The Adani Group on Monday, however, dismissed reports that it has been allotted land by the Assam government for a cement plant in the state, terming them baseless, false, and misleading.

"It has come to our notice that certain news reports, social media posts and clips from court hearings are being circulated, claiming that the Assam government has allotted 3,000 bighas in Dima Hasao to the Adani Group for a cement plant,” the Adani Group spokesperson said.

"We categorically state that these reports and references are baseless, false and misleading. Linking the Adani name to Mahabal Cement is mischievous. Mahabal Cement is not related to, owned by or connected with the Adani Group in any manner whatsoever," the spokesperson clarified according to IANS.