Ex-MP welcomes SC verdict on Arunachal Governor's unconstitutional order

Former Arunachal Pradesh Member of Parliament Takam Sanjoy on Wednesday welcomed the Supreme Court's decision to declare state Governor J. Rajkhowa orders to prepone an assembly session and unseat the democratically elected government of Chief Minister Nabam Tuki null and void.

Talking to ANI, Sanjoy said, "This is a historical judgment of the Supreme Court, headed by the chief justice with five member constitutional bench. It is very unprecedented directive and order. Through this order the real taste and ethics of democracy has been saved. Arunachal has a history of abiding by the Constitution of India though it is very far away from the mainland and is called the state of mini India."

Accusing the NDA regime at the Centre of indulging in political gamesmanship and skullduggery to unseat the Nabam Tuki-led regime in Arunachal Pradesh earlier this year, Sanjoy further said, "In the recent past, through the intervention of the governor's office, political turmoil was created. In the 2015 elections, along with the Lok Sabha, the Congress mustered 42 seats. After that, five regional party members had joined, after which, our strength rose to 47. The Congress was doing apt work, but unfortunately with NDA in the Centre, political lobbying started with BJP central leadership clearly involved."

He said, "They (NDA) were hell bent on removing the Congress government, as the BJP absolutely has no grassroots (in the state) since 1947. They know if they fight elections democratically, they will not be able to make it. So, whimsically, and with a motive which is not according to the taste of the tribal people, the BJP rushed through the backdoor and started misusing their power, and this created political, social and economical turmoil in the state of Arunachal Pradesh."

Earlier in the day, in what is being seen as a major setback to the BJP-ruled Centre, the Supreme Court quashed the "message and direction" issued by Arunachal Pradesh Governor J.P. Rajkhowa and restored status quo as on December 15 when Congress' Nabam Tuki was the chief minister.

"The SC has quashed all the notifications issued by the Governor on December 9 and has also restored status quo as on December 15 when Tuki was the chief minister," Vivek Tankha, the lawyer appearing for the Congress Party, told the media.

"Pursuing which the assembly was convened on July 16 to remove Speaker Wangki Lowang and subsequently on July 17 to pass a no confidence motion," he added.

Tankha said the Governor's role is also under question now taking note of the manner in which he acted at the behest of the ruling party at the Centre.

"We expect the ruling party not only to respect the SC judgment and restore the Congress government forthwith, but also to take appropriate action against the Governor," said Tankha.

Hailing it as a "great day" for the Indian democracy and a "great slap" on the BJP, he said, "Nobody has ever thought that a ruling party would go this extent to murder democracy in this country. It was appearing as if the reign of the Governor supported by the Centre Government had taken over the country."

Arunachal Pradesh was under President's Rule from January 26 till February 18, 2016.

Tuki-led Congress government was dismissed following days of turmoil after 21 of its 47 lawmakers rebelled against the chief minister.

The Congress, which had 47 MLAs seats in the 60-member assembly, suffered a jolt when 21 of its lawmakers rebelled. Eleven BJP MLAs backed the rebels in the bid to upstage the government. Later, 14 rebel Congress MLAs were disqualified.

The leader of the dissident faction, Kalikho Pul, was sworn-in as the chief minister on February 19 with the support of the 20 Congress rebels and 11 legislators of the BJP.