'Dictator' Modi Govt. trying to destabilise all opposition-ruled states: Congress

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Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government of attempting to destabilise all the opposition-ruled states, the Congress on Wednesday alleged that this exposed the 'monarch and dictator' mindset of the ruling BJP's top leadership.

Congress in-charge of Arunachal Pradesh, V. Narayanasamy, said the move to impose President's rule in the state is a clear case of murder of democracy and throttling the Constitution.

"This is an attempt by the Narendra Modi Government to dislodge the duly elected Congress Government in Arunachal Pradesh. In fact, they are targeting all opposition-led states. They want to destabilise all the opposition -ruled states and this is the step they have started," Narayanasamy told ANI.

"We will not keep quiet. We will fight. We will fight on the road, in the court and in the Parliament. We will see that justice is given to the people of Arunachal Pradesh. The top leadership of the BJP wants to be monarch and dictator," he added.

Recalling the series of events that took place in Arunachal, Narayanasamy said, "We questioned the Governor's power to summon the legislative assembly without the decision of the Council of Ministers. The Governor suo moto called the session of the committee, he gave the agenda for the assembly session, and ultimately as they could not enter the assembly, they conducted the so-called proceedings in a makeshift place. Thereafter, they said that the Speaker was removed and the Chief Minister was removed."

"The Governor says that he has the power to summon the assembly. The Government of India says within six months the assembly did not meet. Therefore, the Government of India is accepting that the Governor has no power to call the session. The Governor's power has not been accepted by the Government of India. It is a contradiction between the Governor and the Government of India which appointed him there," he added.

President Pranab Mukherjee yesterday gave his assent to the Union Cabinet's recommendation for imposition of President's rule in Arunachal after being satisfied that the law and order in the border state was sensitive.

The decision came right after he hosted the 'At Home' at Rashtrapati Bhavan for French President Francois Hollande as part of the 67th Republic Day celebrations.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has appointed two retired civil servants G.S. Patnaik and Y.S. Dadwal as advisors to Arunachal Pradesh Governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa.

Arunachal plunged into a political crisis in June last year after a section of the Congress MLAs (14 of them) was suspended by Speaker Nadam Rebia, along with two ministers.

The Congress retained its majority, but very soon Deputy Speaker T.N. Thongdok cleared an impeachment motion against the Speaker 'owing to his personal relation with (then) Chief Minister Nabam Tuki'.

The Congress, which is determined to stall the ratification of President's rule in the state, is mulling both legal and political options to fight the same. The decision in this regard was taken at a meeting yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will hear the Congress' plea challenging the Cabinet's decision at 2 p.m. today.