VIJAYNAGAR, 4 Dec: The All Yobin Development Society (AYDS) on Thursday expressed concern over the district administration’s denial of their democratic right to organise a peaceful rally in Miao in Changlang district in opposition to the participation of non-APST settlers of Vijaynagar in the panchayat elections.
On 29 November, Yobin community members, including members of students’ union, community-based organisations, gaon buras and public leaders, had jointly submitted an application to the Miao ADC, seeking permission to organise a peaceful rally in Miao, but they were denied permission.
The community members again wrote to the Miao ADC on 3 December, seeking permission to hold a peaceful rally.
AYDS president Ngwazosa Yobin in a release informed that, after the community members had consultation with the administration on 3 December, the ADC verbally assured to grant them permission to hold the rally on 4 December.
“But on the same day, around 5 pm, the SDPO, Miao, called our community leaders to the ADC office. There, we were informed that permission for the peaceful rally could not be granted. No valid reason was provided, and instead we were warned of possible arbitrary arrest.
We even offered to sign undertakings to ensure a peaceful and disciplined rally, but our request was still rejected,” Yobin said, adding, “We are deeply concerned that such denial of democratic space is unfair and discouraging for an indigenous community raising a genuine grievance through peaceful means.”
The Yobin community had also submitted a joint representation to the Miao ADC on 4 December, seeking deletion of the names of non-APST settlers of Vijaynagar from panchayat enrolment and putting a ban on their participation in the panchayat elections.
The Arunachal Times tried to reach out to Miao ADC for comments but failed to get a response.
The Yobin community has long been protesting the government’s decision to issue rights to the retired Gorkha soldiers settled there since the 1960s to contest in panchayat elections.
On 12 December, 2020, violence had rocked Vijaynagar over the issue.
