Arunachal governor destablizing government: Congress tells Pranab Mukherjee

The party said that such unconstitutional steps, taken by the Arunachal Pradesh Governor, were unprecedented

On Wednesday, the Congress complained to President Pranab Mukherjee that the Arunachal Pradesh Governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa was trying to destabilize the government.

This was being done on the directions of the central government, a Congress delegation led by party president Sonia Gandhi told Mukherjee after meeting him at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said such unconstitutional steps had never been taken in the country's history.

"It is a matter of regret that unconstitutional actions are being taken by the Arunachal Pradesh governor on the directions of the central government," Azad said.

He said the state assembly was to convene on January 14th but the governor preponed it to December 16th without consulting Chief Minister Nabam Tuki.

Azad said the governor had also sought the removal of the speaker even though he enjoyed the support of the majority in the Arunachal assembly.

"Such a thing has happened for the first time in the country," Azad said.

The Congress leader also said that the governor had requisitioned central forces to the state without the chief minister's knowledge.

"An attempt is being made to destabilize an elected government in a sensitive border state," Azad said. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh and party colleague Mallikarjun Kharge were also present in the delegation.