India-China Gridlock Over Arunachal Pradesh- A Challenge to India’s Polity

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On the eve of India's Defence Minister's landing in Beijing on July 5, 2013 the Indian Express reported: The Chinese General Major General Luo Yuan, Executive Vice-President and Secretary General of China Strategic Culture Promotion Association warned India against provoking "new trouble" by increasing its military deployment at the border. "There is no denying that there are tensions and problems between China and India particularly at border areas" Luo referred to China's claim to Arunachal Pradesh which it calls as Southern Tibet andadded, "There is still the problem of 90,000 sq. km. of territory which is occupied by the Indian side. These are the problems left over from history and we should look at them with a cool head." Further, the report added, "India is the only country in the world which says it is developing military power due to China's threat. "He said, "India should be cautious about what it says and what it does."

Indeed such headlines in the past few months have suddenly thrust Arunachal into our consciousness. One finds that more Indians want to know about the land and the people about which generally very little is known. Having been associated with the Northeast for a long period, I think it is opportune to acquaint what is the landmass that was known as the North East Frontier Agency (NEFA) and who are the people who inhabit Arunachal.

On the map, Arunachal looks a small state tucked away on the top of the North-East region. In fact, area wise it is the largest amongst the seven states of the region. Its area is 84,000 square kilometers and is even larger than Assam which is the most populous state of the region. Arunachal has an international border of around 1,650 kms: with Bhutan in the west, China (Tibet) in the north and north-east and Myanmar (Myanmar) in the east. On its south, beyond the foothills bordering Assam is Brahmaputra, flowing from east to west.

From east-to-west, 850 kilometers of length along the Tibet. Arunachal Pradesh State is broadly divided geographically into five river valleys. There are innumerable valleys formed by rivers draining into five rivers that are major tributaries of the mighty Brahmaputra.

I owe an obligation to write about it, because I served the State, as its first governor from 19 March 1987 for three years. As governor I took oath of office 'for the welfare, well-being of my State and my People', who comprise of 26 major tribes speaking over 50 languages; who are shut out from each other by high mountain ranges and valleys divided by fast flowing rivers and countless tributaries. I worked, fully supported by my wife, for them. We travelled extensively, made friends, studied their social and cultural heritage and shared their life.

Although now settled down in the far away metropolis of Mumbai and living in an apartment facing the Arabian sea, my wife and I continue to recall our loving association with the area along the Himalayan ranges and people who may be ethnically different but who are a part of the great fabric, that is India. We have experienced how geography, history and culture bind that area and those who inhabit the rest of the country. It is tragic that we of the mainland India have taken so little interest in the northeast that is one-eighth land mass of our country and hardly made efforts to get to know people, especially the tribals who inhabit that geographical space.