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NEW DELHI: An Indian national from Arunachal Pradesh was held for implicit 18 hours successful Shanghai airdrome aft Chinese officials declared her Indian passport invalid.Prema Wangjom Thongdok, said she is an Indian national surviving successful the UK for astir 14 years.
The ordeal occurred portion she was traveling from London’s Gatwick to Janan via a transit successful Shanghai.Describing her harrowing acquisition she told ANI, “I had fundamentally crossed e-gates, lasting successful the queue for my adjacent flight, and past 1 of the officials from the Chinese migration came implicit and singled maine retired of the queue. I asked her what was happening, she didn’t accidental much, conscionable asked maine to travel her. And she went connected to say, 'Arunachal- not India, China-China, your visa is not acceptable.
Your passport is invalid.
'
She further went connected to narrate the alleged misbehavior of the officials astatine the airport, accusing them of “mocking” and “laughing” astatine her.“When I tried to question them, they said, 'Arunachal is not portion of India' and started mocking and laughing, saying things similar 'you should use for the Chinese passport, you're Chinese, you're not Indian.’”She added that she had transited done Shanghai antecedently without contented and described the acquisition arsenic humiliating, with airdrome and hose unit allegedly laughing and pointing astatine her passport.
Thongdok besides claimed that she had already consulted the Chinese embassy successful London regarding the transit and she was assured that nary visa would beryllium required for a layover.Thongdok claimed she couldn't scope retired for immoderate assistance from anyone arsenic determination were wifi issues and societal platforms similar Google and Whatsapp don’t enactment successful the country.She was yet assisted by Indian embassy officials from Shanghai and Beijing, who helped resoluteness the contented and provided enactment during the prolonged wait.
She said she was yet capable to permission the airdrome astir 10:30PM.Thongdok went connected to add, , "... We are portion of India... We talk 'shuddh Hindi', we don't recognize C of Chinese, we are each Indian... I privation to rise this consciousness that residents of the northeast of India should not look specified harassment successful presumption of being called and being told that you are not a portion of the state that you're truthful proudly a national of. I would similar the authorities of India to rise this connected a diplomatic level with the Chinese authorities.
This is not thing a regular national tin resolve. I would conscionable similar to petition the authorities of India to instrumentality strict enactment against the Chinese authorities and the authorities connected specified matters..."
She further told ANI, aft her instrumentality she reached retired to the higher up authorities successful the country, penning to them via mails, requesting specified incidental not beryllium repeated. I wrote an email to the ministry of outer affairs, PMO, CM of Arunachal Pradesh, overseas secretary, that specified an incidental shouldn't hap to idiosyncratic who is conscionable a mean citizen…”Thongdok referred to the incidental arsenic a imaginable hassle maneuver utilized by Chinese officials to harass Indian citizens, particularly arsenic it was the play truthful determination would beryllium little accidental of an authoritative intervention, arsenic authorities offices are closed.“Just to beryllium harassed for truthful galore hours, I deliberation it mightiness beryllium rather a maneuver utilized by the Chinese authorities to hassle citizens of India, particularly from Arunachal Pradesh... I'm conscionable grateful to the squad from the Indian embassy who helped maine get retired of determination finally.”
Before the interrogation with ANI she had posted astir her bid connected X, tagging authorities authorities including Union curate Kiran Rijiju who himself hails from Arunachal Pradesh, and PMO office, highlighting the extended detention and questioning of her citizenship based connected her birthplace. Thongdok wrote, “ @pemakhandu @kirenrijuju @PMOIndia I was held astatine Shanghai airdrome for implicit 18 hrs connected 21st Nov, 2025 connected claims by China migration & @chinaeasternair They called my Indian passport invalid arsenic my birthplace is Arunachal Pradesh which they claimed is Chinese territory.”
The MEA is yet to remark connected the matter.
