Orgs to go ahead with capital bandh

DC terms bandh illegal, assures citizens of full security

ITANAGAR, 31 Jul: Even after the Itanagar capital region (ICR) administration termed the 24-hour capital bandh proposed by the Nyishi Youth Welfare Association (NYWA) and the Arunachal Indigenous Students Union (AISU) illegal and unlawful, the organizations on Saturday said they would go ahead with the bandh on 2 August.

NYWA president Tai Talley asked the public and the market associations to cooperate with the bandh, saying that “we are raising issues that concern all. The government has misused the Covid funds and given them to their favourites through e-tendering. I have already filed a case in court. We have made all the requests and submitted all the memorandums we could. We cannot tolerate it anymore.”

On 23 July, the NYWA and the AISU jointly announced a 24-hour bandh in the capital region on 2 August after the state government failed to meet some of their longstanding demands.

The organizations’ demands include floating of notices inviting tender (NIT) on the GeM portal; repeal of the Arunachal Pradesh District Based Entrepreneurs and Professionals (Incentives, Development and Promotional) Act, 2015; annulment of the Arunachal Pradesh Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 2014; cancellation of three ST certificates illegally issued to Tibetan refugees; renaming Indira Gandhi Park as Abotani Park; and introduction of a chapter on Arunachal in the NCERT syllabus.

The ICR administration issued an order on 28 July, terming the bandh illegal, and appealed to the public to boycott the bandh culture.

The administration assured to provide full security to all the residents of the ICR during the proposed bandh period.

It also said that the cost of damages or destruction of public or private property would be recovered from the bandh callers if the proposed bandh is enforced and any destruction occurs during the period.