[Bengia Ajum]
ITANAGAR, 11 Aug: The state BJP has dismissed the Congress party’s demand for setting up a judicial committee to investigate the allegations of irregularities in awarding contracts to firms related to Chief Minister Pema Khandu, as flagged by the CAG.
Addressing a press conference here on Monday, chief spokesperson of the party and adviser to Home Minister, Mutchu Mithi, termed the Congress’ move political and without any merit.
“Even though the matter is sub judice, we are confident that the chief minister has done nothing wrong. He is clean, and this allegation is nothing but a political attack on the CM,” said Mithi.
He also claimed that the Congress’ allegation that central forces stationed at the proposed site for the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) are harassing local villagers is not true. “Our government is talking to the project-affected villagers and is taking steps to convince them to undergo a pre-feasibility study. Some villages have even given consent after being convinced,” he said.
Further, Mithi said that the SUMP was declared as a national project in 2008 by the then Congress government, and that it was the Congress which first mooted this project.
He accepted that the Siang river plays an important role for the Adi tribe.
“Siang is part of the Adi culture, tradition, and history. We see Siang above politics. The SUMP will take care of these sentiments, and it is also an important project from a national security point of view,” Mithi added.
He said China is constructing a dam on the Siang river, known as Yarlung Tsangpo on their side of the border. “China is not a signatory to the international water treaty, and its construction of a dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo is a threat to us,” he added.
On the Congress’ demand for correcting Article 371(H), he said the BJP also supports it. “This Statehood Act was given to Arunachal by the Congress only. We also want correction, so that the Statehood Act gives protection to the people of the state at the level of Nagaland and Mizoram. In 2020, the Arunachal legislative Assembly adopted our government’s resolution to seek inclusion of the state under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution, and amendment of Article 371 (H), which gives overwhelming powers to the governor. Therefore, the Congress should not question us in this matter,” said Mithi.
Regarding the Congress party’s demand for scrapping the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act (APFRA) 1978, Mutchu once again questioned the grand old party about their demand. “This Act was passed in 1978. After that, the Congress was in power both at the Centre and in Arunachal for almost three decades. What were they doing? Why did they not scrap it?” he questioned.
He also claimed that the state government is taking initiative on the APFRA based solely on the directive of the high court.
