ITANAGAR, 11 Aug: Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bosiram Siram accused the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of running away from the state’s burning issues and concerns instead of finding solutions.
Calling the BJP’s press conference “an exercise in evasion,” rather than a platform for solutions, Siram questioned why the BJP was running away from answering questions about its governance in Arunachal Pradesh.
“The BJP is simply not serious about solving the issues of our state. Instead of engaging with the burning concerns raised by the new Congress team in Arunachal Pradesh, it is running away from the real problems that affect our people,” he said.
He said that national security is not a political game.
“We are asking questions because the BJP has a duty to protect Arunachal’s borders and tell people the truth. Instead of assuring the people of Arunachal about our territorial integrity, the BJP leadership shamelessly shifted the responsibility to the central government, washing its hands of the matter,” the APCC chief said.
Siram said that the BJP has repeatedly denied Chinese incursions, when independent reports, satellite images, and locals confirm them.
“Why has the BJP government repeatedly downplayed Chinese incursions in Arunachal Pradesh when even independent satellite images and local reports confirm them?” he questioned.
Siram said that the government has failed to implement promised infrastructure and security measures along the border despite claiming ‘zero tolerance’ on sovereignty issues.
On the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) issue, Siram stated that the Congress is not against any people- centric development projects.
“The Congress is not anti-development – we are pro-people,” he said, adding, “Any development without the consent of the affected communities and without environmental safeguards is destruction, not progress,” he said.
Stating that the SUMP dam would submerge vast areas and displace indigenous tribal communities, Siram questioned the BJP government why it is proceeding with the construction of the dam without the free, prior, and informed consent of the affected people.
The APCC chief criticized the BJP for blaming the Congress to cover its own incompetence, instead of addressing the indigenous people’s concerns.
He also termed the deployment of paramilitary forces for conducting survey for preparing the PFR a “dictatorial action of the BJP government.”
On the question of Article 371(H), Siram questioned why the BJP has not initiated steps to amend it to strengthen legislative powers and autonomy for Arunachal, despite repeated public demands for the indigenous people’s right to ownership of land and natural resources.
“Will the BJP commit to introducing and supporting such an amendment in Parliament during its current term?” the APCC chief questioned.
Siram further stated that Arunachal deserves a government that takes ownership, finds solutions, and speaks the truth to its people – not a party that hides behind excuses and finger-pointing at the opposition party.
“The BJP should stop acting as an opposition party; instead it should be responsible as the ruling party,” he said, and reiterated the APCC’s commitment to relentlessly pursue solutions to the state’s “bleeding-point” issues, and to stand as the voice of the people against the BJP’s “neglect and inaction.”
On Monday, the state BJP accused the opposition Congress of politicising sensitive issues, including Article 371(H) of the Constitution, the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act (APFRA) 1978, and the SUMP.
The BJP claimed that all three measures were brought in or approved under earlier Congress regimes.
