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In Arunachal, BJP targets Cong over inaction

September 19, 2009 22:09 IST
Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday said the central government's 'meek response' to China's repeated claim over Arunachal Pradesh had led to a sense of insecurity and panic among the people of the hill state.

BJP's remarks are an apparent attempt to make it an election issue in the frontier hill state that goes to polls on October 13 next.

Releasing the party's election manifesto at Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh, senior BJP leader and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi asked the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre to come out with a white paper on Chinese incursions into this frontier state and have an action plan ready to tackle any eventuality along Sino-Indian border.

Modi said what India needed was a better ties, not border incursions, with China, and the BJP poll manifesto underlined the need for opening border trade route with China from Arunachal Pradesh through Bumla, Taksing, Mechukha, Gelling, Walong as soon
as possible.

It said that the historic Stilwell Road that connects Tirap district in Arunachal Pradesh to Kunming city in Yunan province of China via Myanmar should be opened up for border trade.

'The BJP, once voted to power (in Arunachal) will rigorously pursue the Centre for maintaining heightened vigilance along the porous Sino-Indian border and drawing up an action plan in case of any eventuality,' the poll manifesto said.

BJP leader accused the Congress of indulging in rampant corruption in Arunachal Pradesh and described Congress as a synonym of corruption.

"Congress and corruption have become two sides of the same in Arunachal Pradesh," Modi said pledging to institute high-level probe into allegations of corruption in Arunachal Pradesh if the BJP is voted to power.

The BJP has so far declared names of 23 candidates for Arunachal Pradesh Assembly election. The party is going to contest at least 30 constituencies
K Anurag in Guwahati