'Not an inch of land ceded since Narendra Modi became PM': Union Minister Kiren Rijiju

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said Arunachal Pradesh, which is a border state, is also "100 per cent safe and secure''.

New Delhi: Not an inch of land has been ceded since Narendra Modi became prime minister, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said in Lok Sabha on Tuesday, hitting back at an opposition MP who accused the government of giving away Indian territory "bit by bit to China".

Intervening in the discussion in the lower house on the situation in Ukraine, Rijiju took strong objection to the remarks made by BSP MP from Jaunpur Shyam Singh Yadav.

"Everyone knows that our claimed territory under the control of China and Pakistan dates back to earlier times. I don't want to take anyone's name. Since Narendra Modi has become prime minister, not an inch of land has been ceded," Rijiju said after Yadav alleged that Indian territory was being given away "bit by bit to China".

The Minister said Arunachal Pradesh, which is a border state, is also "100 per cent safe and secure''. "I come from Arunachal Pradesh. A TV channel did mischief and, taking images from a foreign website, said that China has established a village inside Arunachal which is false as that village had been occupied by China in 1959," Rijiju said.

One should not mislead the country by making such claims, he said. Rijiju also recalled that in 2013 when A K Antony was the defence minister, he had stated in the House that India's policy not to build infrastructure in the border areas was wrong.

"The Narendra Modi government is changing that policy and our borders are secure. My state Arunachal Pradesh is also 100 per cent safe and secure," he asserted.