ITANAGAR, Jul 9: All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) on Tuesday demanded immediate arrest of all those involved in the recent attacks on Arunachalees in Dibrugarh and Dhemaji in Assam.
Expressing strong exception to the “repeated attacks and harassment meted out to the people from Arunachal Pradesh in Assam,” the union said it would submit an ultimatum to the Assam government to take steps to stop such unlawful activities against Arunachalees.
“Repeated attacks on Arunachalees in Assam without any provocation have greatly undermined the prestige of the Arunachalees and have threatened their peace and security,” the union stated in a press release, adding that the matter would be “taken up seriously with appropriate authorities and at all levels.”
AAPSU general secretary Tobom Dai said continuous violence against the people of Arunachal in Assam over petty issues may give rise to a situation “where Assamese people working in the state may face a hostile environment, which may badly hamper the age-old bonhomie and relationship between Arunachal and Assam.”
The union’s deputy spokesman, Nepha Wangsa, condemned the recent incident at Paltan Bazaar in Dibrugarh as “unbecoming,” and sought justice for the Arunachalees there.
“Many innocent Arunachalees, including people from Longding district who were in Dibrugarh for medical purposes, have been reported to be harassed and assaulted and their properties destroyed. Many had to rush back without attending medical treatment for fear of attacks by the mob which conducted searches in hotels and stopped vehicles with Arunachal registration,” Wangsa said.
The AAPSU also said it would send an eight-member team headed by spokesman Tadar Takiang to Roing to meet with the Lower Dibang Valley district administration and the Roing police for early investigation into the murder case of the union’s co-convenor (east) Toge Mepola.
“No headway has been made into the case since last two months and Roing police, as informed by the family members, have also failed to submit even the charge-sheet till date,” the AAPSU claimed.
The union meanwhile said it would take up with the state government the matter of the delay in disbursement of scholarships and stipends to the students.
