ITANAGAR, Mar 1: The Arunachal Law Students’ Union (ALSU) and the Nyishi Ethnic Students’ Association (NESA) in a joint press statement said the state government has passed an order to scrap the PRC issue.
“An order has already been passed to scrap the PRC issue, and it will never be tabled again in future,” said the press statement, quoting Chief Minister Pema Khandu as saying.
A team of the ALSU, the NESA, the RGU Students’ Union (RGUSU), and the All Tagin Students’ Union (ATSU), along with a few former student leaders of the state, had held a meeting with the CM on 25 February, during which they discussed the law and order problems caused by the bandh imposed by a conglomeration of organizations over the issue of granting PRCs to non-APSTs.
The team placed several demands before the chief minister for immediate action. The demands included permanent scrapping of the PRC issue; adequate compensation for the deceased’s families/relatives, including job security and Rs 1 crore each; proper medical treatment and compensation to the injured persons; renaming the IG Park tennis court
as ‘martyr’s ground’; unconditional release of all the activists; revocation of any charges filed against individuals or organization leaders during the bandh call; termination of the police officials for their alleged atrocities on peaceful protestors; and repealing or redefining the Arunachal Pradesh Unlawful Activities Prevention (APUAP) Act.
According to the statement, the chief minister took note of their demands and convened a cabinet meeting to discuss the matter.
The statement said the chief minister was deeply saddened by the demise of three youths “who have sacrificed their lives for the cause of the society” and termed their deaths an irreparable loss not only for their families but the entire state.
It said the CM assured to compensate the families of the deceased by giving job security along with Rs 20 lakhs each, and further assured to meet the bereaved families.
“The chief minister has also assured to direct the chief secretary to identify all the injured persons and give them relief according to the gravity of injuries,” it said, adding that the CM announced ex gratia of Rs 10 lakhs each for the injured.
With regard to the demand for renaming the tennis court as ‘martyr’s ground’, it said the CM assured to discuss the matter in the next cabinet meeting as he alone cannot take a decision in this regard.
“Responding to the demand for releasing of all the activists unconditionally and revocation of charges against individuals and organisation leaders, if any, the CM assured to fulfill the demand by following minimum legal procedures,” it said.
On the demand for scrapping the APUAP Act, it quoted the chief minister as saying that “Arunachal does not need laws like APUAP Act as it is really draconian in nature.”
“Arunachal already has so many established laws to deal with any situation,” it quoted the CM as saying, adding that the CM assured to either repeal or redefine the act.
ALSU president Yurum Tamin while conveying condolences to the bereaved families said “this day will be observed as Martyr Day.”
Tamin said that police threatened All Papum Pare District Students’ Union president Nabam Tado and ATSU president Raju Ging Maling at gunpoint and forced them to withdraw their support to the bandh. They even threatened them to stage a fake encounter if they did not withdraw their support,” Tamin said.
NESA president Biri Chattum thanked the indigenous people of Arunachal for voluntarily participating in the movement and “making the state government realize the meaning of true democracy.”
“This issue would not have been successful without public support and cooperation,” he said.
Both the NESA and ALSU presidents condemned those who were involved in illegal activities like looting of shops and malls during the anti-PRC agitation.
They also cautioned individuals against announcing bandh calls in the name of the two organizations, saying their bandh had already ended on 23 February.
They appealed to the public to maintain peace and help bring normalcy in the state.
RGUSU president Goda Karu and its advisor Giogi Aja, along with former student leaders Debia Muj and Biru Nasi were also present during the meeting with the chief minister, the statement said.
