Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 21 Jan: The chorus for implementation of delimitation in Arunachal Pradesh is growing louder as hundreds of people joined the peaceful rally organised by the Arunachal Pradesh Delimitation Demand Committee (APDDC) on Saturday, demanding implementation of delimitation based on proportionate representation.
The rally started from Nyokum Lapang and ended at the tennis court here.
Arunachal, Assam, Nagaland and Manipur have not implemented delimitation, citing law and order situation in these states.
“We need to awaken the government. That’s why we are fighting for implementation of delimitation. It’s a constitutional right. Equal, proportionate representation – then equity in development, political and social equality – that’s why we are fighting for equal representation,” said APDDC chairman Nabam Regum.
“The Assam government has already decided that it will implement the delimitation. Why cannot the state government in Arunachal do the same? Delimitation in Arunachal is a must, because it’s a frontier state,” Regum added.
“This isn’t a political party rally; this rally is about our rights, it’s our constitutional right. We are not demanding anything out of the Indian Constitution; we are demanding our rights enshrined in the Constitution,” said Wancho Apex Council president Sompa Wangsu.
Northeast Delimitation Demand Committee convener Habung Payeng said that “we will continue to fight until our demand is met.”
“Since 1971, no delimitation happened in India. It is a democratic process. The constitutional delimitation should be carried out every 10 years,” said Payeng.
Implementation of delimitation in four Northeastern states – Arunachal, Assam, Nagaland and Manipur – has been put on hold as the respective governments informed the government of India that there are prevailing law and order situation in the states.
“Law and order is a state subject. If the state government is unable to implement the Act of the Parliament, the state government doesn’t deserve to continue in the chair. There should be President’s Rule,” Payeng added.
“Delimitation could not be implemented for more than two decades due to law and order issues. For how long will ‘law and order’ be an excuse to avoid delimitation?” he said.
The APDDC argued that “the delimitation exercise by the Delimitation Commission, based on the 2001 population census, would ensure proper representation in Arunachal, and it would be injustice and undemocratic if the demand is denied.”
The committee said that it has apprised the state government regarding adopting a fresh resolution, urging the Centre to adhere to the proposal of the Delimitation Commission based on the 2001 population census as per the Delimitation Act, 2002.”
