MEA issues strong demarche to China over Indian woman harassment at Shanghai airport

By Anjali Sharma

WASHINGTON – India on Monday issued a strong demarche to the Chinese Government both in Beijing and in New Delhi, over the alleged harassment of an Indian national from Arunachal Pradesh by immigration officials at Shanghai airport.

According to sources, the Indian Consulate in Shanghai raised the issue at the local level and ensured the safe departure of the Indian national.

The sources said the woman, identified as Prema Wangjom Thongdok, a native of Arunachal Pradesh, was detained on “ludicrous” grounds.

India clearly stated that Arunachal Pradesh is an indisputable part of Indian Territory and that its residents are fully entitled to hold and travel with Indian passports in the demarche. .

“A strong demarche was made with the Chinese side in Beijing and in Delhi on the same day the incident took place. Our Consulate in Shanghai also took up the matter locally and extended full assistance to the stranded passenger,” media reported quoted an official source.

The development came hours after Prema Wangjom Thongdok narrated the ordeal she faced at the airport.

Thongdok, who resides in the UK, alleged that Chinese immigration officials told her she was “not an Indian” because “Arunachal is part of China” and asked her to apply for a Chinese passport instead.

She said “One of the officials from Chinese immigration came over and singled me out of the queue. I asked her what was happening, and she said, ‘Arunachal not India, China-China. Your visa is not acceptable. Your passport is invalid.’ When I tried to question them, they said, ‘Arunachal is not part of India,’ and started mocking and laughing, saying things like, ‘You should apply for a Chinese passport; you’re Chinese, you’re not Indian,’”.

Thongdok criticized the airline staff of China Eastern and the immigration officers for their humiliating behavior.

“The airline staff of China Eastern and about two other immigration officers were speaking in their language, pointed at me and stated ‘Arunachal,’ laughed and called it China, not India. That was very humiliating and highly questionable behavior from both the immigration staff and the airline staff,” she added.

Thongdok asserted that the people of Arunachal Pradesh are Indian and urged the Government of India to raise the issue at the diplomatic level with the Chinese authorities.

“I am an Indian citizen residing in the UK for about 14 years, and I was travelling from London to Japan via a transit in Shanghai.”

‘You should apply for a Chinese passport. You’re Chinese, you’re not Indian,’” she said while narrated her ordeal.

She reached out to the Indian embassies in Shanghai and Beijing, and officials intervened to help her leave the country as she frustrated by their conduct.

“She said she contacted the Shanghai and Beijing Indian embassies, and within an hour, Indian officials arrived at the airport, gave her food, spoke to the authorities and helped her exit the country. It was a very long ordeal 18 hours but I’m glad I’m out of there,” she said.

“We are part of India…We speak shuddh Hindi; we don’t understand C of Chinese. We are all Indian. I want to raise awareness so that residents of northeast India do not face such harassment or be told they are not part of the country they proudly belong to. I request the Government of India to take strict action against the Chinese authorities on such matters,” she stated.

She has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, the Ministry of External Affairs, and the Foreign Secretary to ensure such incidents do not happen to any Indian citizen in the future.