"No one can even occupy land equal to a needle point" -Amit Shah on Arunachal Pradesh.

The Union Home Minister Amit Shah today launched the Vibrant Villages Programme' in Kibithoo and various other programmes.

During his speech on the occasion,  Shah asserted the people of Arunachal Pradesh, stating,  “no one can even occupy land equal to a needle point”.

"Times when anyone could encroach on Indian land have passed. Today no one can even occupy land equal to a needle point. The spirit of Arunachal residents forced China to retreat in 1962,” said the Union Home Minister.

His remarks came amid China's firm objection to his visit to the village in Arunachal Pradesh, bordering China, stating, that it violated Chinese sovereignty over the area.

“Zangnan, (the Chinese name for Arunachal Pradesh) is China’s territory. Indian officials’ activities in this area violate China’s sovereignty and (are) not conducive to peace and tranquility in the border regions. We firmly oppose it,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a media briefing, Reuters reported.

Talking about the developments that took place in the Northeastern states, Shah said, “Before 2014, the entire northeast region was known as a disturbed region but in the last nine years because of PM Modi’s ‘Look East’ policy, Northeast is now considered an area which contributes to the development of the country.”

He added that the border areas are the first priority of the Prime Minister Modi-led government.

“The entire country can sleep peacefully in their homes today because our ITBP jawans and the Army are working day and night on our borders. Today, we can proudly say that no one has the power to cast an evil eye on us,” he said.

Shah also launched 9 mini-micro hydroelectric projects along with a plethora of schemes initiated by ITBP at Kibithoo and also attended an exhibition organised by women-led SHGs.

The Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Arunachal Pradesh comes after China's announced renaming of 11 places of Arunachal Pradesh that it claims as part of its territory.