(In this context, China on Wednesday said that it will lodge a diplomatic protest with India for "obstinately" allowing the Dalai Lama to visit "disputed" Arunachal Pradesh, causing "serious damage" to bilateral ties.)
India and China are having their roughest week in the past year as Beijing threatens to downgrade the bilateral relationship in the wake of the ongoing visit of the Tibetan holy leader, the Dalai Lama, to Arunachal Pradesh.
The Dalai Lama’s visit to the monastery in Tawang has been postponed due to bad weather, but he is still expected to go there. The Chinese are furious that Delhi is allowing the visit because the area – the Chinese claim the region as South Tibet – is disputed and believe India is deliberately violating the status quo by having the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju accompany the Tibetan holy leader on his 12-day visit to Arunachal.
“Arunachal Pradesh is an inseparable part of India and China should not object to his visit and interfere in India’s internal affairs,” Rijiju said, insisting that China should not create an “artificial controversy.”
Clearly though, the Indian government is enjoying China’s open discomfiture.
Also Read: In Bomdila, Dalai Lama Speaks of Emotional Connect with Arunachal