Dalai Lama has visited Arunachal half-a-dozen times, so why is China angry now?

The Dalai Lama's trip to Arunachal Pradesh triggered a row between the two Asian giants with China accusing India of causing "serious damage" to ties by "obstinately" allowing the visit and an unfazed New Delhi sticking to its position that it was a "religious" act. A riled China also lodged a protest with India's Ambassador in Beijing Vijay Gokhale over the Tibetan spiritual leader's visit.

"India in disregard to China's concerns obstinately arranged the Dalai Lama's visit to the disputed part of the eastern part of China-India border, causing serious damage to China's interests and China-India relations," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying told reporters, adding that China firmly opposes this move. Contradicting India's assertion, Hua said, "Could you tell me honestly do you seriously believe that Dalai is only a religious leader. I think the answer is known to all. He is not just a religious figure” But why is Bejing fuming now? The answer it seems is the man travelling with the spiritual leader. 

Chinese officials in off the record conversations with the media, said Beijing is really angry about the Dalai Lama's visit specially because he was accompanied by a minister.  The Global Times editorial said, "The Dalai Lama has been to the disputed region before, but what makes this trip different is that he is received and accompanied by India's Junior Home Minister Kiren Rijiju."

The Dalai Lama was also accompanied by Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khadu. Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday said that Beijing has no right to threaten Delhi on the 14th Dalai Lama’s movement within the country as India shares boundary with Tibet and not China.

 “Let me get this straight. China has no business telling us what to do and what not to do because it is not our next-door neighbour,”  Khandu told reporters. He further added that the McMahon Line demarcates the boundary between India and Tibet. Arunachal Pradesh shares a 1,080km stretch of this line. China claims about 90,000 square kilometres in Arunachal Pradesh. Several rounds of talks have failed to make progress on the dispute, though there have been relatively few confrontations in recent years.

The chief minister said the Dalai Lama has been India’s most venerated guest since 1959, and Arunachal Pradesh – for nostalgic and religious reasons – deserves his visit more than anywhere else.

In New Delhi, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Gopal Baglay said, "We clearly said that the Dalai Lama is a revered religious leader and has visited Arunachal earlier on half a dozen occasions. "We also urged that no political colour be ascribed to his religious and spiritual activities and to his visits to states of India, and no artificial controversy created around his ongoing visit."

"Therefore, his visit to the place will not be purely of religious purpose. So using the empty words to defend this arrangement is not reasonable. We demand the Indian side to stop this move of undermining Chinese interests."