ITANAGAR, 5 Aug: Chief Minister Pema Khandu said that, during his tenure as the political head of the state, Arunachal has witnessed several “positives, barring a few ugly instances.”
He cited the example of the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission paper leak scam.
Speaking at the ‘Outstanding alumni meet-cum-felicitation programme & workshop’ organised at Dera Natung Government College (DNGC) here on Saturday, Khandu said that “similar instances (paper leakage) might have happened in the past, but it was during my tenure as chief minister that it came to light, jolting the very foundation of the state’s highest recruitment body and the administration.”
“It is but natural to blame the government and the chief minister for it. I accept it, but at the same time it should be understood that this government is not taking the incident lying low. We have initiated severe and sincere action against all involved and investigations are on in full swing. We are putting in place a system to avoid any recurrence of such misdemeanours,” he said.
Khandu said that “it is not easy to sit on the chief minister’s chair and face criticism, and criticism and blames are fair only if the government doesn’t react sincerely.”
“From day one, I have been stressing on the concept of ‘Team Arunachal’. The government or the chief minister alone cannot bring any positive change if every member of the society does not take up the responsibility to be the change,” he said.
Expressing appreciation for the presence of more than 200 alumni of DNGC on the occasion, he urged them to “contribute in the development of the state as responsible members of ‘Team Arunachal’.”
“I see all known faces amongst the alumni who are serving in various capacities. You all are intellectuals. You have to take the responsibility to make the change, be the change, and become the change,” he said.
Lauding DNGC Principal Dr MQ Khan for conceptualising and organising the alumni meet of the college for the first time, Khandu said that it is time for the former students, “particularly those who are doing well in life today,” to give back to their alma mater.
He suggested that the event be made a yearly one in order to “inspire the present lot of students.”
Assuring to provide all possible assistance to the college in terms of infrastructure and human resource, Khandu urged the alumni to “become the bridge between the college and the government and play the role of a catalyst in overall development of the college.”
He informed that the government has already sanctioned infrastructural projects for the college, including a new administrative block building, an anthropology department building, a 100-bedded girls’ hostel, a children’s park with an open gym, a sports complex equipped with four badminton courts and two judo and karate courts, two cricket practicing pitches, one rostrum, and one more gallery, which are under construction.
Khandu said that, being the second oldest college of the state (after Jawaharlal Nehru College, Pasighat), DNGC deserves all the attention from the government, and gave assurance that “it will get what it deserves.”
About 200 outstanding alumni – those who represented Arunachal in events such as games & sports, art & culture, or have made outstanding contributions and excelled as public leaders, student leaders, Group A officers, reputed journalists, academicians, social activists, businessmen, entrepreneurs, etc – attended the meet, which included a workshop themed ‘Role of alumni in development of institution’.
Itanagar Municipal Corporation Mayor Tame Phassang and New Delhi-based Indian Council for Social Science Research Member Secretary Prof Dhananjay Sing, both alumni of DNGC, also spoke. (CM’s PR Cell)
