India has firmly rejected China's objection to Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Arunachal Pradesh and asserted that the state "was, is and will" always remain an integral and inalienable part of India.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said objecting to such visits does not stand to reason and will not change the reality.
The home minister visited Arunachal Pradesh on Monday during which he launched the ambitious 'Vibrant Villages Programme' that is aimed at improving the standard of living of the people in villages in frontier areas.
"We completely reject the comments made by the Chinese official spokesperson. Indian leaders routinely travel to the state of Arunachal Pradesh as they do to any other state of India," Bagchi said.
"Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India. Objecting to such visits does not stand to reason and will not change the above reality," he said.