Refusing to join issue with China over the Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal Pradesh, India on Tuesday hoped that Chinese "rhetoric" would stop after the Tibetan leader's trip comes to an end.
Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor also rejected as "silly" the reminder about 1962 war by an anonymous Chinese scholar in a newspaper article there and underlined that India has come a long way since then.
"I am sure our Ministry (of External Affairs) will respond more officially.. I don't wish therefore to personally increase the temperature on this one," Tharoor told reporters here.
He was asked to comment on the Chinese statement that it was "strongly dissatisfied" over India allowing the Dalai Lama to visit "the disputed eastern section of the China-India border regardless of China's grave concerns" over it.
"As far was we are concerned, we have made our view very clear. Arunachal is a sovereign territory of India. India's territorial integrity is not negotiable... We are anxious to move on from this and hope that as the visit is coming to a close, so will the conversation and rhetoric on the subject," Tharoor added.
With regard to comments of an 'anonymous' Chinese scholar in a daily there that India was forgetting 1962, Tharoor said the remarks were "silly" and escalating the situation by the media there is "irresponsible".
He said, "India has come a long way since 1962. History does not repeat itself that easily."the temperature on this one," Tharoor told reporters when asked to comment on the Chinese statement.
"As far as we are concerned, we have made our view very clear. Arunachal is a sovereign territory of India. India's territorial integrity is not negotiable... We are anxious to move on from this and hope that as the visit is coming to a close, so will the conversation and rhetoric on the subject," he said..
With regard to comments of the Chinese scholar that India was forgetting 1962, Tharoor said the remarks were "silly" and escalation of the situation by the media there is "irresponsible".
He said, "India has come a long way since 1962. History does not repeat itself that easily."
China, which lays claim over entire Arunachal, has been strongly objecting to the Dalai Lama's visit since it was announced in September.
The Dalai Lama, who is on a week-long visit to Arunachal since Sunday, has characterised his "emotional" trip as non-political. "Actually this (visit) is usual but this time it is too much publicised," he said.
On Chinese objections, the spiritual leader said, "It is sad. I am simply a Buddhist monk and all my conduct, wherever I go, is basically non-political."
India has made it clear that Arunachal Pradesh is its integral part and the Dalai Lama is an honoured guest who is free to travel anywhere in the country. PTI
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