Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, Jan 30: The indefinite shutdown in Lekang circle of Namsai district was suspended late Wednesday night after assurances from the district administration that Chief Minister’s Advisor Tai Tagak will meet the agitating organisations on Thursday.
Speaking to this daily, United People’s Movement of Lekang (UPMoL) vice president Anirudhha Deori and general secretary Arjun Tanti informed that the conglomeration of organisations that had called the shutdown, held a meeting late night with Namsai ADC B Talukdar, EAC W Mossang and OC Lod Tari, wherein they assured that the chief minister’s advisor will arrive on Thursday afternoon to meet the organisations and hold discussions on the issue.
Accordingly, a meeting has been scheduled for 2pm on Thursday at the Namsai conference hall.
Tanti said that they will decide on the next course of action after the meeting.
Further, Deori clarified that the shutdown was peaceful and there had been no reports of disturbances.
Earlier in the day, several organisations came out expressing their resentment over the indefinite shutdown called in Lekang circle of Namsai district and some parts of eastern Arunachal, while many had questioned the competency of the Namsai district administration and police in lifting the shutdown.
A group of goan burahs and former PRI members of Lekang circle on Wednesday had submitted a memorandum to the Namsai deputy commissioner demanding immediate clearance of the national highway from the agitators.
The group also termed the bandh call illegal and said that “public of Lekang was suffering” due to the same.
In its three-point memorandum, the group said that the bandh call “made by few anti-social organisations demanding PRC has totally paralyzed the day-to-day life of Lekang circle, alongwith the entire Namsai district and other parts of Arunachal Pradesh.”
They also highlighted that schools in the circle were “virtually closed due to the absence of teachers as many teachers who come from outside the area were not allowed to cross the blockade point.”
It also mentioned that students from Lekang circle studying in various colleges of Namsai “are losing valuable education time as they are unable to attend classes.”
They had also expressed surprise and asked why the district administration “was doing nothing to bring law and order back to normalcy,” while also demanding that the blockade be cleared from Wednesday itself for movement of vehicles.
The All Tai Khampti Singpho Students’ Union (ATKSSU) and the All Namsai District Students’ Union (ANDSU) had warned of launching a democratic movement against the district administration if “it failed to maintain peace and economic harassment of Namsai district” owing to the shutdown.
The ATKSSU and ANDSU informed that the indefinite shutdown was causing “great inconvenience and harm to the general public, and affected normal life and the business fraternity of the district.”
The organisations claimed that while “numerous organisations of Lekang circle called shutdowns and rallies, the district administration failed to come up with any fruitful solution to ensure that the denizens of Namsai district are safe and protected.”
“If any untoward incident happens, the district administration of Namsai shall be solely responsible for the same,” it had said.
Condemning the indefinite shutdown called by the agitators, the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) had sought its immediate withdrawal.
It said that “indefinite bandh and economic blockage were not solutions to solving the PRC issue.”
The AAPSU termed the movement as “uncalled for and destructive at this juncture when the state government has constituted joint high power committee (JHPC) on the issue and is making all efforts in studying the issue.”
Meanwhile, the Nyishi Ethnic Students’ of Arunachal (NESA) has announced that it would launch its second phase of the democratic movement in form of sit-in dharna at the tennis court in IG Park on 4 February, and an indefinite hunger strike in the third phase from 13 February, if its demands are not met.
In a press conference here on Wednesday, the NESA demanded apology from the chief minister and the deputy chief minister “for hurting the sentiment of the indigenous people of Arunachal Pradesh by promising to grant PRC to non-APST regardless of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873.”
Referring to the agitation by non-APSTs and the law and order situation in Namsai district, the NESA demanded that both the Namsai deputy commissioner and SP be transferred for not properly implementing the Arunachal Pradesh Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 2014 in the district, and to book violators of law in the district.
It also sought resignation of the chief minister and deputy chief minister.
However, sources informed that the market was allowed to be opened and vehicles of Parasuram Kund pilgrims were allowed passage on Wednesday.
On 28 January, United Indigenous People Forum of Lekang, the United People’s Movement of Lekang and the Deori Tribal Welfare Association in Lekang assembly constituency of Namsai district had begun an indefinite shutdown demanding PRC.
