What happened
On November 21, 2025, Prema Wangjom Thongdok — a UK-based Indian citizen originally from Arunachal Pradesh — arrived at Shanghai Pudong International Airport during a layover en route to Japan. What was meant to be a routine three-hour transit turned into a harrowing 18-hour ordeal.
At the immigration queue, an official allegedly singled her out. When she attempted to ask what was wrong, she was told: “Arunachal — not India. China — China. Your visa is not acceptable. Your passport is invalid.
Officials reportedly mocked and laughed, instructing her to “apply for a Chinese passport.” They refused to let her proceed on her flight despite holding a valid Japanese visa, and her passport was confiscated.
For the next many hours, she was denied access to food, airport facilities, clear communication or official explanation, and was unable to contact her family due to lack of connectivity
Finally, after intervention by the Indian consulate in Shanghai and Beijing, she was helped out and allowed to leave the airport.
Why it matters
The incident casts a harsh spotlight on ongoing geopolitical tensions between India and China — especially over disputed territories such as Arunachal Pradesh, which China refers to as “South Tibet.”
From a human-perspective, this wasn’t simply a bureaucratic hurdle — it was a humiliating experience for an individual who had every right to travel with her Indian passport. The fact that airline and immigration staff allegedly refused to treat her as a valid traveller speaks to deeper issues of discrimination and nationality-based prejudice.
Diplomatically, the episode triggered swift reaction: as soon as news broke out, the government of India issued a strong protest (a “demarche”) to the Chinese side, demanding explanation and redress.
Observers have called the allegations “unacceptable,” and criticised the misuse of immigration — what should be an administrative procedure — for political ends.
What Prema said
In interviews and a social-media post, Prema emphasised her distress: she said she felt humiliated, confused, and scared. She recounted how both immigration and airline staff laughed at her, mocked her birthplace, and treated her like a second-class traveller.
“We speak ‘shuddh Hindi’, we don’t understand Chinese. We are Indians. I want to raise awareness that residents from Northeast India should not face such harassment just because of how they look or where they come from.”
She said she had earlier transited through Shanghai without issue — which makes this episode even more painful and bewildering.
Post-incident, she has appealed to the Indian government to ensure such cases don’t repeat, especially for citizens from the northeast.
The Broader Context
- The dispute over Arunachal Pradesh remains a longstanding point of contention between India and China. China claims it as part of “Zangnan” (South Tibet), but India considers it an integral part of its territory.
- The incident highlights how geopolitical disputes — often fought by diplomats and militaries — can have tangible human consequences, affecting ordinary travellers and citizens.
- The misuse of civil aviation protocols (passport checks, transit procedures) for political or discriminatory purposes undermines trust in global travel systems and can endanger individuals’ dignity.
What Should Be Done
- Diplomatic Pressure & Accountability — Governments (India in this case) must press for clarifications, transparency, and consequences when such incidents occur.
- Safeguards for Travellers — Airports, airlines, and international aviation bodies should strengthen protocols to prevent discrimination or arbitrary treatment — especially for travellers from disputed or geopolitically sensitive regions.
- Awareness & Solidarity — Incidents like these show the need for greater empathy and support for citizens from marginalized or targeted communities. Public awareness can deter similar misconduct.
- Policy Review — On a broader level, there should be discussions on how longstanding territorial disputes affect ordinary citizens’ freedom of movement, rights, and dignity — and whether current systems sufficiently protect them.
Final Thoughts
The ordeal faced by Prema Wangjom Thongdok isn’t just a personal tragedy — it’s a stark reminder of how political disputes and prejudices can trickle down and affect individuals in deeply personal ways. When identity, geography, and bureaucratic power intersect, ordinary people become vulnerable to mistreatment.
As global citizens, we must demand that travel — a basic human freedom — stays free of political discrimination. And as one nation, India must ensure no citizen is denied dignity or rights, regardless of where they come from within the country.
Source: Timesofindia Indiatimes
