ITANAGAR, Feb 2: The Arunachal Indigenous Tribes Forum (AITF) has appealed to organizations to refrain from announcing bandhs in any part of the state in view of the ongoing CBSE examination.
The forum issued the appeal following a meeting it held here on Saturday.
The meeting, which was presided over by AITF president Bengia Tolum and attended by the central executive members of the AITF and all its federating apex CBOs, was held to discuss
the recent PRC imbroglio and the incidents resulting in arson and looting, and also to draw a roadmap to prevent recurrence of such incidents in the future.
The AITF said it would defy any bandh, given by any organization(s), “for the sake of the future generations of the state who are appearing in their crucial and life deciding examination.”
Expressing condolences to the bereaved families of the three youths who lost their lives in police firing during the recent ant-PRC agitation, the forum urged the apex CBOs to bring their respective umbrella organizations under control, so that there is no escalation of violence and unrest.
Stating that the issue should not be politicized, the forum demanded that the state government institute an inquiry committee, headed by a sitting or retired high court judge, within 15 days to unearth the truth behind the whole episode.
Criticizing the state government over “intelligence failure” with regard to the anti-PRC agitation, as well as the inept handling of the situation by the law enforcing authority, the AITF demanded immediate transfer of the chief secretary, the capital complex deputy commissioner and the superintendent of police.
The meeting vehemently condemned what it termed the “autocratic behaviour” of the chief secretary and his coterie, “without involving senior local officers who are abreast with the local conditions.”
It also demanded that the state government issue a gazette notification that the PRC issue has been closed once and for all, as was decided by the state cabinet on 25 February.
Expressing deep anguish over the human casualties, the destruction of properties worth crores of rupees, and the involvement of non-tribal people in stone pelting and arson during the recent bandh call, the AITF demanded early identification of the instigators and initiation of action against them.
It also said the local residents were “terrorized by the administration through indiscriminate gun firing throughout the days and nights.”
The AITF also condemned the reported atrocities being committed on the villagers of Kathan in Wakro circle of Lohit district by Chakma insurgents.
