ITANAGAR, 22 May: The Arunachal Pradesh Youth Congress (APYC) has demanded release of those detained under the Arunachal Pradesh Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (APUAPA) “within a period of five days,” and said that it would otherwise “launch democratic movements in solidarity with the detainees.”
“Nowadays our state is going berserk due to indiscriminate detention of social activists and other protestors during the 72-hours bandh from 10 to 12 May, the factor being the failure of your government to fulfil all 13 demands placed by the Pan Arunachal Joint Steering Committee, which was assured by the chief minister himself on 18 February, after an eight-hour-long marathon meeting,” APYC president Tarh Johny stated in a representation to the home minister on Monday, and added that the activists were compelled to enforce the bandh because of the “failure of your government to conduct a time-bound probe or to take resolute step in this fiasco.”
“Time and again, corrupt officers and officials are likely to be reinstated to their positions due to lack of political will,” Johny said.
“It is learnt that 36 people have been detained so far and 12 cases registered under the Act, which is quite ironical as they were already under magisterial remand,” the APYC said, and termed their detention under the APUAPA “illegal and condemnable.”
“Furthermore,” it said, “the extension of their remand from 12 to 30 days is inhumane as they are not criminals, as referred to by the ICR Deputy Commissioner.”
It further said that the activists are “fighting for all against a corrupt system and to safeguard the fundamental right of individuals as enshrined in Article 16 (1) of the Constitution,” and argued that “the activists are helping the government to fight against corruption.”
“Arresting social activists/opposition in order to silence critics and to deliberately conceal failures is a symbol of failed governance. In fact, criticism and opposition should be part of the system to ensure healthy democratic system; else it would transform into autocracy where anarchy is inevitable,” the APYC said.
It said that “punishing the detainees and harassing their kith and kin will do no good, as it will only escalate the situation, which will further enrage the protestors and boost the morale of corrupt officers.”
