Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has expressed deep disappointment over China’s refusal to grant visas to talented Wushu athletes from Arunachal Pradesh, who were set to participate in the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Khandu described China’s actions as unfortunate and a breach of established diplomatic norms.
“Beijing has acted against the established diplomatic norms and has shown utter disregard for the spirit of sports. People of Arunachal Pradesh, an integral part of Bharat, firmly stand by our players and vehemently oppose China’s abominable decision,” the CM said on X, formerly Twitter.
Khandu also made a fervent appeal to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to step in and address this issue urgently.
“We want the International Olympic Committee to make Beijing realize the gravity of the violation they have committed and ensure the visas are immediately issued to our players,” the chief minister said.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has also slammed China’s act of denying visas to Wushu athletes from Arunachal Pradesh.
Rijiju said this violates both the spirit of Sports & also the Rules governing the conduct of Asian Games, which explicitly prohibits discrimination against competitors from member states.
“Arunachal Pradesh is not a disputed territory but inalienable part of India. Entire people of Arunachal Pradesh resolutely oppose any illegal claim of China on its land and people. International Olympic Committee should reign in China’s illegitimate action,” the union minister said on X.
He added that the Govt of India has lodged very strong protest in New Delhi and Beijing against China’s deliberate and selective obstruction of some of our sportspersons.
“Further, as a mark of our protest against the Chinese action, Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Youth Affairs and Sports of India has cancelled his scheduled visit to China for the Games. Government of India reserves the right to take suitable measures to safeguard our interests,” he said.
It is worth noting that three wushu athletes hailing from Arunachal Pradesh have encountered obstacles in their journey to the Asian Games in China due to a lack of clearance from Chinese authorities. These athletes, namely Nyeman Wangsu, Onilu Tega, and Mepung Lamgu, had already received their accreditation cards from the Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee (HAGOC). These cards, in addition to serving as accreditation, also function as entry visas for the event.
However, the athletes faced a setback when attempting to download their travel documents, which are essential for validation upon their arrival in China. This unexpected delay in obtaining the necessary clearance has regrettably hindered their participation in the Asian Games.
Also read: 3 Arunachalee wushu stars to represent India at Asian Games 2023
