Opposition party Congress on Monday alleged that law and order had collapsed in Arunachal Pradesh, and demanded the immediate sacking of Chief Minister Pema Khandu, his deputy Chowna Mein and Union minister Kiren Rijiju, PTI reported.
The party further sought an inquiry by a sitting high court judge into the firing on “unarmed protesters” in the state, and asked the Government of India to act immediately to control the situation, warning Arunachal Pradesh “should not be made into another Jammu and Kashmir”, the report said.
Congress leaders Luizinho Faleiro, Nabam Tuki and Takam Sanjoy alleged that there was complete collapse of law and order and held Chief Minister Khandu and Rijiju responsible for the volatile situation arising out of protests on the issue of permanent residence certificates (PRCs) in the state, as per the report.
The leaders further met Union Home Secretary and officials of the Home Ministry of India and presented a memorandum to Home Minister of India Rajnath Singh, asking him to “take responsibility” and act on the situation in the border state, the report detailed.
The development occurred after violent protests broke out in the state, owing to recommendations of granting PRCs to six communities amid the onslaught of elections.
The Congress leaders said three people have already lost their lives in police firing and 15 have sustained serious bullet injuries and the situation is continuing to deteriorate, the report quoted them as having said.
Why are you wanting to make Arunachal Pradesh into second Kashmir…. Don’t try to make Northeast into another Jammu and Kashmir. We have enough problems already….Don’t play with the sentiments of the people of Northeast,” Faleiro said, as per the report.
In the report, the Congress delegation said the situation remains volatile and further escalation is expected with the violence and unrest rapidly spreading to other parts of the state. “
The state government’s law and order machinery is in a state of complete collapse,” they alleged in the memorandum.
“Under the circumstances, it has become imperative that we approach your good office to immediately order constitution of a Commission of Enquiry on firing and killing of innocent and unarmed protestors, headed preferably by a sitting Judge of the High Court or a Retired Chief Justice of the High Court.
“We also demand the immediate sacking of Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Union Minister of State (Home Affairs) Kiren Rijiju and state deputy chief minister Chowna Mein,” they said, the report stated.
While condemning the violence and killings, Arunachal Pradesh Congress said the state cannot afford to lose more innocent lives, the report said.
“It is a matter of shame that your deputy, the Union Minister of Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju, who represents the Arunachal West Parliamentary Constituency, has been indifferent to the sensitivities of the people, the deaths and the ongoing unrest.
“Instead, he has been indulging in politicizing the issue, discarding blatantly his constitutional obligations to safeguard the interests and safety of his people,” the memorandum alleged, as per the report.
“The chief minister of the state and his entire cabinet is out of the state capital and has shown no seriousness in tackling the situation. They have lost the moral right to govern, pushing the socio-political condition of the state to an all time low,” it alleged, according to the PTI report.
Faleiro, the AICC general secretary in-charge of north eastern states, described the situation in Arunachal Pradesh as “grim” and “very sad”, PTI reported.
“A simple issue which they called a surprise gift – the PRC has angered the people of Arunachal Pradesh….When you try to impose something without discussion, without dialogue then this is what happens,” he was quoted as having said.
Faleiro, a former Goa chief minister, claimed that there is shortage of food in the state and people are suffering, while “nobody is there to bring sanity as the chief minister and his ministers have gone underground”, the report said.
“There is no security of citizens…. the government is not visible. The public has reached the chief minister and deputy chief minister’s residences and there is fire everywhere,” he said, as per the report.
Tuki also said that the Speaker has adjourned the assembly sine die even when the chief minister and ministers were not present there. “The vote on account is also questionable now,” he said, according to the report.
“Such incidents, if allowed to continue unabated, will threaten the very foundations of Arunachal Pradesh. We hope that in understanding this, you will consider our demands and implement them at the earliest,” the memorandum said, PTI reported.
(With inputs from PTI)
