Governor BD Mishra’s recent statement that “India would not have faced reverses against China in the 1962 war if the country back then had a strong leadership” has landed him in a major controversy. He made the remark during a sainik sammelan in Changlang district on 20 November. The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Monday slammed his statement and accused him of speaking the language of the BJP. Barring the tenure of former governor JP Rajkhowa, the majority of the governors posted in the state had remained apolitical. Governors posted in Arunachal always maintained good relations with various political parties and largely remained politically neutral.
Before his latest statement, Mishra had mostly remained apolitical. In which context he made such a statement is a matter of debate. However, him being from a military background, he could have easily avoided making a statement which can hurt the sentiments of the people who made sacrifices in the 1962 war. It was a collective military failure and India has learned lessons and moved beyond it. There is no point in digging out the old issue now. Governor Mishra has won the hearts of the people of Arunachal with his relentless pursuance of the Miao-Vijaynagar road and the Hollongi greenfield airport projects. He has been pushing for early completion of these two major infrastructure projects. The people of the state appreciate such pro-people initiatives.