ITANAGAR, May 10 � Infuriated by Union Environment & Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh�s �pro-China� statement, the All Arunachal Pradesh Students� Union (AAPSU) activists today burnt effigies of the Minister and demanded his immediate resignation, besides seeking a clarification from the Centre on the issue.
Currently on China visit in connection with the international conference on climate change, Ramesh while talking to foreign journalists in Beijing on Sunday created a flutter by asking �whether India will draw on Chinese expertise to implement its hydrological projects in Arunachal Pradesh�. He reportedly said, �But our (India�s) ability to handle vast hydel projects is much less compared to China.�
Terming the Minister�s statement as �anti-India� and �uncalled for�, AAPSU president Takam Tatung lamented that despite numerous movements launched in protest against China�s territorial claims on Arunachal, besides boycotting the made-in-China goods in the State, �such an irresponsible statement from a responsible person like Jairam Ramesh has hurt the sentiments of the local people.�
�The Union Government should not undermine the sentiments of the locals and should initiate action against Ramesh for his irrational statement.
�If he (Ramesh) considers himself to be a real Indian and has the patriotic feeling for India, he should immediately tender resignation for his irresponsible statement,� said the AAPSU president in presence of slogan-shouting student activists here. They shouted slogans like �Bachao-Bachao, Arunachal Ko Bachao�. AAPSU also warned of a massive democratic movement if the Union Minister did not resign.
�Is China the only country left in this world which can give expertise to India to develop its hydro projects?,� queried Tatung, while stating that AAPSU was not against the development of power projects.
Tatung also demanded that the State Government take the matter �very seriously� in the interest of the State and its people.
