Opposition parties’ stage protest in Raj Bhavan demanding CM’s ouster
Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, Mar 9: Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Takam Sanjoy claimed that the viral video of him on social media, saying that permanent resident certificates (PRC) should be given, was “edited.”
He said this during a protest rally of opposition parties in the state following the non-fulfilment of their demand of sacking Chief Minister Pema Khandu, here on Saturday morning.
Speaking to reporters after they were stopped half way near the Raj Bhawan, Sanjoy said his party had visited Lekang over a year ago, wherein he was given a memorandum on the PRC issue as the opposition.
Terming the video “shocking and shameful,” he informed that while in Lekang, he had clearly said, “If the demand is viable under the law, PRC should be given before elections. If it is against the rules, then it should not be given. I also asked why they raised the PRC issue only when election arrives. These are the three things I placed during the rally. We also held a protest outside the civil secretariat against the citizenship amendment bill. They connected the two and are now claiming that when I was in Lekang I said PRC should be given and when I am here I said it shouldn’t be given. They are trying to label me as someone with double standards.”
He also claimed that he was denied an extension of the JHPC when he was the chairman, and had to return the file with his signature as chairman.
Also upset with the governor’s inaction towards their demands, Sanjoy said “the governor is sleeping. The governor’s silent spectator action is not acceptable. We know the governor will not do anything, and he is unable to because he is under the control of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah.”
He also took a hit at MoS Home Kiren Rijiju and said that “he keeps running off whenever there is an agitation in the state, and arrives and departs only by air.”
The Congress chief also invited Rijiju to IG Park for a debate between the parties.
Sanjoy also refuted allegations that he was involved in sponsoring the recent anti-PRC protests in the capital.
On the withdrawal of support against the movement by the National Peoples’ Party (NPP), Sanjoy said the NPP was still supporting the cause.
However, NPP representation was not seen during the rally.
Janta Dal (Secular) general secretary Gegong Apang and Peoples’ Party of Arunachal president Kahfa Bengia represented their parties along with other members, and expressed their displeasure with the current ruling party.
Apang, who is also the former chief minister of the state, said he had “never witnessed such a situation during his 23 years and seven months of governance.”
He said it was necessary to correct the system as modern politicians were heading towards material and personal gain.
“The tribal and non-tribal people dwelled in peace and amity, but the atmosphere has changed now and the situation has been created by our own leaders. Barbarous activities are going on here and I am ashamed of them,” he said and called on the opposition parties in the state to be united.
The demands of the opposition parties include resignation of Chief Minister Pema Khandu along with his council of minsters; suspension or termination of the chief secretary, deputy commissioner and superintendent of police; declaring the three youths that died during the agitation as martyrs, and constituting a ‘commission of enquiry’ on the shootings, deaths and injuries thereafter, preferably headed by a sitting high court judge or a retired chief justice of the high court.
Reiterating the demands, Sanjoy warned that if the demands are not fulfilled, the parties will continue the movement throughout the state.
