India Has Sovereign Right To Develop The Country Within Its Boundary, Says Amit Shah

BJP President Amit Shah today asserted that India has the sovereign right to develop the country within its boundaries, dismissing China's objection to Japan showing interests in investment in the north eastern states.

"India's policy has been very well clarified by Sushmaji (External Affairs Minister). It is our sovereign right to develop the country inside our boundaries and we will utilise that right," Mr Shah told a press conference here while replying to a query on the issue.

Amid Japan's push for stepping up investments in India's north east, China had yesterday stated that it was opposed to any third-party involvement in the resolution of the Sino-India boundary disputes or any foreign investments in areas over which it has claims in the region.

A joint statement, issued by India and Japan on Thursday following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, had announced the setting up of the Act East Forum and referred to plans to take up infrastructure projects such as road connectivity and electricity in India's northeastern states.

Reacting to it, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Hunyin had said, "You also mentioned Act East policy.

"You must be clear that the boundary of India and China border area has not been totally delimited. We have disputes on the eastern section of the boundary," she had said.

Talking to reporters, Mr Shah also said that BJP has succeeded in removing politics of casteism, appeasement and family fiefdom and put the country on the path of speedy development.

The opposition could not accuse Modi government of any corruption charges in the last three years and the country is on the fast track of transformation, Mr Shah said.

Mr Shah said that the previous UPA governemnt was bogged down with an alleged Rs. 12 lakh crore scam and had suffered from policy paralysis. It was also unable to take any decision on policy matters, he added.

"Now in place of that (policy paralysis), Narendra Modi has provided a decisive government," Mr Shah said.

He said that people had been apprehensive as to what would happen to the country, but in the three years of Modi government the people have faith that India is moving forward on the right path.