ITANAGAR, Nov 22: The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Wednesday flayed Chief Minister Pema Khandu for his comment that ‘Nehruvian Policy of Panchsheel has been a barrier for economic development of the people of North East.’
Reportedly, the Chief Minister made this comment during his recent visit to Imphal, Manipur.
“Pema Khandu, who himself was a Congress leader before deserting the party, is now bizarrely talking against the Congress party and its popular policies just to receive applause from the BJP heads,” said APCC Spokesperson Mina Toko in a press statement.
“It has become a fashion in BJP circle to decry Nehru and the Congress,” the statement said and added that the Nehruvian Policy should not be treated as a ‘sweeping statement.’
Highlighting the relevance of Nehru’s policies, it said, “Today, people of Arunachal Pradesh in particular and North East in general are protected and enjoying utmost liberty and democracy in true sense in terms of economic development, which is the outcome of the Nehruvian Model of Development.”
“Nehru had laid the foundation for the economic growth of the nation. Nehruvian policy is still relevant unlike Pema’s biased advocacy on Tibetan Rehabilitation Policy, 2014 and Refugee Settlement issue by exploiting and trampling the rights of the APSTs,” the APCC Spokesperson added.
In another press release, the APCC vehemently condemned the murder of senior journalist Sudip Datta Bhaumik, allegedly by a jawan of an armed force at Agartala on November 21.
This is an inhumane act to silence the voice of free Press and an assault on freedom of Press, the release said and expressed grave concern over the safety and security of working journalists.
The party appealed to the Tripura Government for expeditious investigation and to ensure justice to the victim by bringing the culprit to book.
