[ Havika Ome Apang & Indu Chukhu ]
ITANAGAR, 22 Nov: The Pan Arunachal Joint Steering Committee (PAJSC) reiterated their old demands, summing up to 12 points, during a press conference on Wednesday. Interestingly, they excluded the demand for ‘null and void,’ stating that it should be addressed legally. They emphasized, “For the greater interest of the cause, we will pursue legal interpretation for this demand.”
PAJSC vice chairman Tadak Nalo clarified that excluding the ‘null and void’ demand aimed to increase involvement from student organizations, community-based groups, and anti-null and void factions. Nalo mentioned that a representation letter containing the revised demands was addressed to the Chief Minister, requesting a roundtable meeting by November 29 for a final resolution. He clarified, “It wasn’t discarding the point, but considering the greater interest, as this specific demand had hindered the involvement of many organizations.”
Nalo urged collective action, stating, “We have now opened the legal door,” while citing Mahatma Gandhi’s Talisman to highlight the issue’s collective benefit for all stakeholders.
Nalo reiterated that the issue persisted for 15 months due to delayed government action, acknowledging the system’s lack of proactivity. He condemned the granting of bail to former APPSC deputy controller of examination Taket Jerang and demanded Jerang’s immediate termination. Nalo also questioned the examination’s integrity, citing existing evidence and expressing wavering trust in the “corroded” system due to Jerang’s bail without completing the chargesheet.
PAJSC demands include the establishment of a fast-track court in a different location due to traffic congestion in the Yupia court and immediate approval and implementation of the ‘statue of honesty,’ revocation of Techi Puru’s suspension order, cancellation of Techi’s detention order under APUAPA, immediate implementation of the Arunachal Public Examination (Measures for Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2023, incorporating PAJSC’s official inputs, and immediate release of financial compensation to all injured protesters of the 17-18 February, 2023 public bandh.
When asked about the upcoming election and its potential impact on the issue, Nalo stated that the matter had arisen well before the election period and is unrelated to the upcoming elections. He also urged the government “not only to view the issue as a challenge but as an opportunity.”
Nalo mentioned earth sciences minister Kiren Rijiju, specifically highlighting his capability to coordinate with the union ministry concerning the issue and to monitor the delayed action by the CBI on the APPSC scam
The PAJSC appealed to honor late whistleblower Gyamar Padang by erecting a statue in his honor. They stressed the intensity of the situation, describing the scam as a proper ecosystem involving paper leakage, rewriting and result manipulation.
PAJSC chairman Techi Puru expressed disappointment in the government’s lack of acknowledgment regarding Gyamar’s actions and advocated for systematic reforms achievable only through government intervention, such as the whistleblower act.
