China's protest over PM trip to Arunachal gratuitous: Menon

Former Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon on Wednesday described China's protests against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Arunachal Pradesh as "gratuitous" and "unwelcome."

Former Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon on Wednesday described China's protests against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Arunachal Pradesh as "gratuitous" and "unwelcome."

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"The Chinese foreign office's comments on the Prime Ministers' visit to an area, which is an integral part of India, is gratuitous and unwelcome," Menon said, addressing a function to mark a release of a Pearson Education book on China.

Coming down heavily on the media, he said the noises made here over Chinese behaviour along the border with India were "alarmist and uninformed."

"The media here is making alarmist and uninformed noise over China's activities along its border with India. This despite the government and its leaders time and again stating that there was nothing to be alarmed about," Menon said.

"What purpose does it serve to cry wolf? Our breast beating only helps those who want to beat India more," he added.