PAJSC dismisses govt’s response to 13-point demands

Staff Reporter

ITANAGAR, 18 Aug: Rejecting the state govt’s ‘have done’ report circulated on Thursday on the demands placed by the Pan Arunachal Joint Steering Committee (PAJSC), which has been spearheading the movement against the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) question paper leak scam, the committee said it was an eye wash.

PAJSC’S vice chairman Tadak Nalo said that “all the 13-point response given by the govt is just an eye wash.” While specifically responding to each demand, Nalo stated that ever since the case was transferred to the CBI, not a single person has been arrested.

He has also questioned the functioning of the enforcement directorate (ED) in the state and role of the state government.

Nalo said, “We were demanding for a separate special fast track court.”

He also wanted to know why the former controller of examinations APPSC Taket Jerang has not been terminated from his job yet?

The PAJSC has also claimed that till date no compensation has been paid to those persons who were injured in the bandh call this February, despite assurance by the CM to compensate them.

Addressing reporters at the press club, PAJSC chairman Techi Puru stated that the government cannot just take away his job.

“I have right to freedom of speech and expression. Instead of conducting a departmental inquiry against me, the CM should have initiated departmental inquiries against other corrupt officers,” he said.

Puru received a detention order on 10 May and accordingly based on the detention order, a suspension order was issued on 17 May.

On 8 August, a departmental inquiry against Puru was initiated.

On 28 August, the PAJSC along with the guardians of the aspirants will sit in a dharna at the tennis court in IG Park, Itanagar seeking fulfillment of all the demands.

PAJSC’s initial request for a candle march was rejected by the authorities.

Meanwhile, the state government has constituted a one-man commission to probe into the alleged question paper leaks in various recruitment examinations conducted by the APPSC.

As reported earlier, the commission led by retired Justice PK Deka, will investigate the alleged question paper leaks in various exams conducted by the APPSC from April 2014 to August 2022.

The state was left shocked by the question paper leak incident which came to light after whistle blower late Gyamar Padung, a candidate of the APPSC assistant engineer (civil) examination, filed a police complaint on 29 August last year, stating that he suspected that the examination paper had been leaked.

After series of protests across the state, the case was transferred to the Special Investigation Cell, and then the CBI.

A total of 46 people, including 39 government officials and employees, have been arrested so far for their alleged involvement in the scam.

But since the CBI took over the case in Oct last year, the investigation seems to be in cold storage.