DEOMALI, 12 Nov: The APLA@50 Outreach Connect, a flagship student engagement initiative commemorating the Golden Jubilee of the Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly (1975-2025), reached the Eastern Zone with its first programme at Wangcha Rajkumar Government College, Deomali in Tirap district.
Speaking at the event, environment & forest minister Wangki Lowang urged youth to take a stand against the growing money culture in politics, calling it the duty of every citizen to safeguard the moral fabric and future of the state.
The minister reminded that citizens’ duties are central to sustaining democracy, citing Swachh Bharat as an example of collective responsibility.
Dibrugarh University’s History Department Head prof. Chandan Kumar Sarma traced the political history of Arunachal Pradesh and emphasized that India’s democracy is deeply rooted in indigenous traditions, not borrowed from the West.
He said it is a western narrative to assume India imported democracy from the West, stating, “Our tribal customary laws have long practised democratic values.”
Prof. Sarma elaborated on the making of the Indian Constitution, describing how the Constituent Assembly represented voices from all corners of India and was guided by the collective wisdom of the people, as explored in the book “Assembling India’s Constitution: A New Democratic History.”
He reminded students that the Indian Constitution embodies the spirit of evolution, with universal suffrage and equal voting rights granted from the very outset-a global first.
Prof. Sarma underlined that rights and duties are inseparable, referencing the incorporation of Fundamental Duties in 1956, and urged students to practice mutual respect and protect the sovereignty and integrity of the nation.
The day-long event on constitutional literacy and civic awareness among students featured a debate competition on the topic: “Integrating tribal customary laws into Arunachal Pradesh’s formal legal framework preserves cultural heritage and enhances legal pluralism.”
Students presented well-informed arguments both for and against the motion, drawing on Arunachal Pradesh’s unique socio-cultural context and its deep-rooted traditions of local self-governance.
Dr. Saurav Mitra, an assistant professor at RGU highlighted the objectives of APLA@50 initiative.
Principal of the host college Dr. Watsen Bangsia also spoke.
The event was organised in collaboration with Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU), the nodal academic partner through its Centre for Distance and Online Education (CDOE). (Speaker’s PR Cell)
