Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, Feb 28: The 12-hour capital bandh imposed by the All Nyishi Youth Association (ANYA) resulted in total shutdown of businesses, schools and government offices in the capital complex on Friday.
Despite the state government having declared the bandh illegal, it completely paralyzed the twin towns as the administration and the police authority failed to convince the citizens to defy the bandh.
Except for pharmacies and hospitals, all other establishments and institutions remained closed from dawn to dusk. Vehicles, both private and government, were off the road, although a few police vehicles and vehicles of magistrates on duty moved about in the largely empty streets.
A group of volunteers damaged a Toyota Fortuner car in front of security forces near Akashdeep in the morning. A pillion rider on a bike was assaulted by volunteers for defying the bandh, and a white car was damaged near the RK Mission Hospital here.
“We got information that a white car was damaged by ANYA volunteers near RK Mission. We have made GD entry, and we are waiting for the complainant to lodge an FIR. However, no public properties were damaged,” said Itanagar SDPO Kamdam Sikom in an interview with a local channel.
“The 12 hours bandh passed off peacefully. ANYA volunteers were also cooperating,” the SDPO added.
Meanwhile, ANYA president Byabang Joram said he had no idea about the incident of his volunteers damaging a white car with a woman sitting inside. He apologized to the public – particularly to the woman whose car was damaged – if his volunteers misbehaved with and manhandled people.
“I say sorry and apologize to the public if my volunteers caused inconvenience,” Joram said.
He, however, refused to take responsibility for any damage caused during the bandh hours, stating that he had already appealed to the public through social media to cooperate with the ANYA “as the bandh was for their cause.”
The ANYA is demanding scrapping of the Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board (APSSB), which is mired in controversy following the recent examination scam involving former APSSB undersecretary Kapter Ringu and two other employees.
The association is also demanding district-wise quota with regard to job allocation through the APSSB.
The association’s other demand is for amending the District Based Entrepreneurs Act, 2015, to introduce work order system upto the amount of Rs 1 crore.
The state government claims that it has fulfilled most of the ANYA’s demands, and that the ANYA refused to engage in a dialogue with the government.
