Bengia Ajum
ITANAGAR, 10 May: The streets remain empty as the 72-hour ICR bandh regarding the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission paper leakage case started on Wednesday morning. The bandh callers have demanded that all the 13 points put forwarded including demand for “Null and Void of all examinations conducted by the commission, where anomalies were found,” be addressed.
The shops, business establishments, educational institutions and the offices including government as well as private remain closed. With the administration strictly regulating the movement of the public due to imposition of section 144 CRPC, people mostly stayed inside their homes. An easy calm prevailed throughout the day. Talking to this daily IGP, Law and Order Chukhu Apa informed that several people were detained during the day.
“The day went off peacefully. However, there was a stray incident of stone pelting by a few women. They were immediately detained and the situation contained,” he said.
The ICR deputy commissioner Talo Potom while briefing the media alleged that few people are trying to instigate innocent public to indulge in violence and appealed to the people to refrain from doing so.
“Instigating public to indulge in violence is not good. Majority of our people are innocent and easily get swayed by emotion. Many do not even know the issue and are participating after being given wrong information,” said Talo Potom. He also claimed that the situation is normal and credited the people of ICR for prevailing in peace.
“Situation is normal. People have understood the issue and therefore are not participating in the bandh. Bandh callers are instigating but people are not listening to them as they know the truth,” said DC Potom. He also claimed that the majority of demands regarding the APPSC paper leakage issue have been met by the government. “All the demands placed by aspirants have been accepted by the government. Gradually, all 13-point demands are being worked upon. Despite this, few vested people are indulging in misinformation campaigns with an intention to create unrest,” added Potom.
Meanwhile, at Seppa in East Kameng district, women took out a procession and protested the arrest of activist Sol Dodum. Market remained closed and people burnt tyres and blocked roads.
Protests were also held at Pasighat, where several protesters including a large number of women took to the streets and shouted slogans protesting the detention of social activist Sol Dodum, Tana Tamar, Taw Paul and others and demanded the state government for early release of the detainees.
Police picked up 14 persons on charges of breaching public peace and creating law and order problem in connection with the proposed 72-hour bandh call.
The women protesters gheraoed Pasighat police station on Wednesday afternoon and warned the government authority of rigorous agitation including indefinite bandh call in East Siang, if their demands are not met by the authority.
They also submitted a paper with East Siang deputy commissioner and SP and OC in this regard.
Several local organizations of Pasighat are also extending support towards the proposed 72-hour bandh call in the state.
The paper leakage which came to light last year on 29 August has led to multiple protests in the state following which govt. agreed to fulfil all the demands by the Pan Arunachal Pradesh Joint Steering Committee (PAJSC) spearheading the paper leakage case.
The govt. of Arunachal says that it has fulfilled most of the demands, and on a certain point the government is still working and that it might take some time. The protestors are not convinced.
The state police so far arrested 14 people including activists Sol Dodum, Tana Tamar, Taw Paul and others under Arunachal Pradesh Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 2014. The arrested individuals have been taken out of ICR and kept in different jails of the state. (With inputs from our correspondent)
