India has taken up the issue of Chinese 'transgression' in June on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh with Beijing, External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha informed the Lok Sabha on Friday.

"A response from the Chinese side is awaited," Sinha said when members, including Congress Deputy Leader Shivraj Patil, his colleague J S Brar, and Ramji Lal Suman and C N Singh (both Samajwadi Party) raised the issue during Zero Hour.

"The government is aware of the transgression of the LAC by a Chinese patrol on June 26, 2003 in the Asaphila area of Upper Subansiri district in Arunachal Pradesh," Sinha said.

"This is an area where there are differences in the perception of the LAC between the two sides," he said.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was on an official visit to China at the time the incident occurred.

Sinha said the 1996 agreement between India and China on confidence building measures along the LAC contained a specific provision for the manner in which situations involving face-to-face contact between personnel and patrols of the two sides were to be handled.

"In the case in question, these provisions do not appear to have been adhered to by the Chinese side. This matter has already been taken up through diplomatic channels and a response from the Chinese side is awaited," he said.

"From time to time, on account of differences in the perception of the LAC, situations have arisen on the ground that could have been avoided if we had a common perception of the LAC," the minister said.

Sinha said such isolated incidents do occur sporadically.

Observing that clarification of the LAC was underway, he said, "The government of India regularly takes up with the Chinese side violations of the LAC through established mechanisms."

Speaker Manohar Joshi disallowed a notice for adjournment motion moved by Suman and Singh on the issue.

Suman said it was strange that when the prime minister was in Lahore, Kargil (intrusions) took place and when he was in Beijing, Chinese troops 'transgressed' Arunachal Pradesh.

They came 14km inside the state and the intrusion has been confirmed by the Indian Army, he said demanding a thorough discussion on the prime minister's recent statement on his China visit.

Congress member Jagmeet Brar alleged that at least ten Indian Intelligence Bureau officers were held by Chinese Army personnel and interrogated for several hours within Indian territory.

Congress Deputy Leader Shivraj Patil said members should be careful in what they say as it is a sensitive matter and there should be no misunderstanding.

Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav said, "The government should not repeat mistakes of 1953" regarding delineation of the Sino-India border.

More reports from China