Thaindian News

New Delhi, Nov 4 (IANS) Stating that his behaviour was “insulting and unacceptable”, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Friday asked Chinese ambassador Zhang Yan to apologise over wrong map of India and for using “bad street language” against a member of the Indian media fraternity.

BJP spokesperson Tarun Vijay said in a statement that the Chinese envoy used “undiplomatic and undemocratic language at a public function, trying to ’shut up’ an Indian media person who was raising a very legitimate and valid query” about the brochure of a Chinese company that showed a map of India minus Arunachal Pradesh and parts of Jammu and Kashmir.

Vijay said the government should also warn the ambassador “not to indulge in such unfriendly acts in future”.

“Obviously, Chinese ambassador forgot that he is posted in a vibrant democracy where Tin En Mein (Tiananmen) episodes are not allowed and media is free and not a state run apparatus taking orders from party bosses who can ’shut up’ a journalist,” Vijay said.

He said while the BJP welcomes friendship and growing bilateral trade with China, it would be living in self deception if “increasing level of Chinese arrogance” is not taken note of and appropriately responded to.

“The Chinese arrogance and intransigence showed its another low yesterday,” Vijay said and pointed to incidents of China calling then envoy in Beijing Nirupama Rao in the early hours of the morning to lodge a protest, its statements concerning Arunachal Pradesh, and its stapled visas to residents of Jammu and Kashmir.

Vijay said behaviour of the Chinese ambassador was totally “unacceptable and insulting” to the democracy of India.

“We demand an unqualified apology from the ambassador to the people of India for presenting a wrong map of India while trying to get trade and economic benefits from us, and (for) using undemocratic and bad street language against a respectable member of Indian media fraternity.”

“They want our market but not the heart, it’s quite obvious, but they shouldn’t be allowed to walk away with such brazen acts of undiplomatic behaviour. We hope this government will take note of the ambassador’s foul mouthing yesterday and warn him officially not to indulge in such unfriendly acts in future,” he said.

A Chinese company Thursday signed an accord for investing $400 million in Gujarat, but a row erupted when Zhang asked an Indian journalist to “shut up” when questioned about the company’s brochure that showed a map of India minus Arunachal Pradesh and parts of Jammu and Kashmir.

India was prompt to take up the issue, and the Chinese envoy assured that the mistake would be looked into.