ITANAGAR, 19 Aug: The Arunachal Pradesh Women’s Welfare Society (APWWS) has lauded MLA Honchun Ngandam for his staunch stance against polygamy, which he expressed during the special session of the Legislative Assembly here.
Ngandam made a strong appeal to fellow legislators and the public to set a positive example by rejecting polygamy and upholding family responsibility.
“We have learned a sense of responsibility. We’ve addressed issues like alcoholism, hunting, and development. We’ve learned many things, but not yet about polygamy. It’s time we learn about that too,” he said.
Citing examples of legislators from Tirap, Changlang, and Longding districts, the MLA from Pongchau-Wakka said: “We should learn from Tirap, Changlang, and Longding. We are 12 MLAs – each of us has only one wife. People should learn from us.”
APWWS president Kani Nada Maling termed polygamy a violation of fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution of India “and a discrimination against women with long-term adverse effects on both women and children.”
The APWWS, which has long been demanding a ban on polygamy, said that the practice has not only led to exploitation of women but has also contributed to the degradation of gender equality.
“It is high time the state government framed a law to ban polygamy in Arunachal Pradesh. We have been consistently advocating against this practice and once again reiterate our appeal to the government to take urgent legislative action,” the APWWS president said.
Hailing Ngandam for raising the critical issue on the floor of the Assembly, Maling called upon other elected leaders to stand up for gender equality, women’s rights, and family welfare.
