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CM Khandu said he was shocked by the incident involving Pema Wangjom Thongdok, an Indian citizen living in the UK. He claimed the Chinese officials’ behavior amounted to “humiliating and racial slurs.”
Pema Wang Thongdok
Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Tuesday condemned Chinese immigration officials. Khandu described the treatment meted out to a woman from the state as unacceptable and appalling. The woman was detained for nearly 18 hours at Shanghai Pudong Airport after officials allegedly refused to recognize her Indian passport.
CM Khandu said he was shocked by the incident involving Pema Wangjom Thongdok, an Indian citizen living in the UK. He claimed the Chinese officials' behavior amounted to "humiliating and racial slurs."
In a post on X, the Chief Minister said, "This treatment of her despite holding a valid Indian passport is appalling." He added, "Arunachal Pradesh is and always will remain an integral part of India. Any allegations to the contrary are baseless and objectionable."
Calling the incident a violation of international norms and an insult to the dignity of Indian citizens, Khandu said he was confident the Ministry of External Affairs would immediately take up the matter to ensure such incidents do not recur.
Thongdok, a resident of Rupa in West Kameng district, currently lives in the UK. On November 21, she was traveling from London to Japan when her three-hour transit turned into a long and harrowing ordeal.
In a detailed post on X on Sunday, she wrote, "On November 21, 2025, I was detained at Shanghai Airport for over 18 hours by Chinese immigration and China Eastern Airlines. They declared my Indian passport invalid because my birthplace is Arunachal Pradesh, which they claimed is Chinese territory."
The woman said she was detained in the transit area without any valid reason and without basic amenities. Her passport was allegedly confiscated, and despite having a valid visa, she was prevented from boarding a connecting flight to Japan.
Thongdok wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior officials, calling the incident a direct affront to India's sovereignty and the people of Arunachal Pradesh. He urged the government to strongly raise the matter with Beijing, demanding accountability, disciplinary action against those involved, and compensation for the harassment.
