[ Bengia Ajum ]
ITANAGAR, 25 Jul: The clash between the Itanagar Capital Region (ICR) district administration and the Pan Arunachal Joint Steering Committee (PAJSC) over a plot of land at 6 Kilo here almost spilled onto the streets on Tuesday.
The PAJSC has been seeking permission to construct a ‘statue of honesty’ on a vacant plot of land located in the middle of NH 415 as a tribute to whistleblower Gyamar Padang, who was instrumental in exposing the APPSC paper leak scam.
They wrote a letter to the DC on 3 May in this regard, stating that late Padang’s last wish before passing away was to have a statue of honesty constructed on said plot.
The ICR administration on its part claims that the plot of land being sought by the PAJSC has been handed over to the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the administration is not the competent authority to grant permission to carry out any construction activities there.
On Tuesday morning, when supporters and well-wishers of the PAJSC, along with family members of late Padang arrived to carry out a cleanliness drive on the plot of land, the administration imposed Section 144 and stopped them from doing so.
Speaking to this daily, Itanagar EAC Nangram Pingkap said that the plot is owned by the NHAI, and that people who intended to carry out the cleanliness drive did not have the required permission from the NHAI, due to which Section 144 was imposed.
“People who had gathered to carry out social service peacefully dispersed on being informed that Section 144 has been declared and they do not have the required permission to conduct social service. They were directed to contact the NHAI for permission,” said Pingkap.
Addressing the media, one of the members of the PAJSC alleged that the ICR administration “is acting like a dictatorial regime.”
“Imposing Section 144 and issuing order for detention of PAJSC chairman Techi Puru shows the dictatorial attitude of the ICR administration,” he said, and added that it was late Padang’s last wish to have a statue of honesty constructed on the plot in question.
“Everyone supports this demand. The statue of honesty will remind people of late Padang and also send out a message to corrupt criminals that people are ready to fight against such illegal activities,” he added.
The PAJSC member also alleged that they tried to meet the DC several times to follow up on their demand but he refused to meet them.
Earlier, Potom had issued an order for detaining PAJSC chairman Techi Puru under the APUAPA for 12 days.
“In exercise of the powers conferred under Section 3 (i), I am satisfied that Techi Puru is an unlawful person associated with unlawful activities, and thereby direct that he may be detained for a period of 12 days with a view to prevent him from taking illegal possession of government properties or construction of unauthorised structures thereon” in the ICR, the order read.
The DC informed the media that the plot of land was handed over to the NHAI in 2017.
“On receiving their application, I had directed them to contact NHAI. It was clearly told to them that the matter is out of our hands and that NHAI is the competent authority to decide upon their demand. Knowing these facts, they deliberately tried to conduct social service with an attempt to grab land. Therefore, under APUAPA, I had directed police to detain PAJSC chairman Techi Puru,” said the DC.
Itanagar SP Rohit Rajbhir Singh, speaking to this daily, informed that the police are yet to arrest Puru. He said that the police will decide whether to arrest him or not, “based on the emerging situation.”
