The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has sought Governor KT Parnaik’s intervention to ensure free and fair panchayat elections in the insurgency-infested districts.
The Congress alleged that a group is threatening villagers in the insurgency-hit districts of Tirap, Changlang, and Longding (TCL) to support only BJP-sponsored ZPM candidates.
APCC president Bosiram Siram, leading a party delegation to the Raj Bhavan, submitted a detailed memorandum highlighting these concerns.
The party stated that villagers and local leaders have been warned of a Rs 20 lakh fine or severe consequences if they defy the orders during the upcoming elections, which are scheduled for December.
The party urged the governor, the state election commission, and the police to take immediate action to safeguard voters and candidates from intimidation by non-state actors.
While Governor KT Parnaik assured that necessary security measures are being taken to ensure peaceful and fair elections in the three districts, and that security agencies have been sensitised and directed to maintain law and order throughout the electoral process, the districts remain prone to violence and intimidation, especially during election time.
It is not only the candidates who face threats of violence but also the general voters. In earlier elections, lives have been lost as the area continues to be a stronghold of various factions of the NSCN, who are engaged in turf wars. Even security forces have come under attack several times.
Only time will tell how the government plans to ensure peace and hold free and fair elections without the interference of underground forces. For now, however, it is a period of uncertainty, apprehension, and fear of violence.