Oppn parties hold dharna for Khandu's ouster

Opposition parties in Arunachal Pradesh Saturday staged a dharna demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Pema Khandu over his "inept handling" of the Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC) issue that claimed three lives last month.

The protesters also demanded resignations of Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein and Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, holding them responsible for the violence that unfolded in the state capital on February 23 and 24.

The opposition parties including Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), Janata Dal (Secular) and Peoples Party of Arunachal (PPA) under the aegis of All Party Coordination Committee staged the dharna at 'O' Point Tinali near the Raj Bhawan.

The protesters had submitted a memorandum to Governor B D Mishra on Wednesday requesting him to use his constitutional powers to remove Khandu and others for their alleged failure to control the law and order situation on February 24.

The committee had set a deadline of three days to the governor which ended on Friday.

Hundreds of protesters brought out a rally from Nyokum Lapang Ground here to Raj Bhawan but they were stopped by security forces.

Later, they sat at the tri-junction of 'O' Point Tinali, which leads to Raj Bhawan.

Former Chief Minister Gegong Apang of JD(S) condemned the state government for failing to diffuse the situation which he alleged was created by the government.

"In my 23 years and 7 months stint as chief minister of the state, I had never witnessed such a chaotic situation. This was a creation of the present leaders in the helm of affairs who, instead of working for the interest of the common people, is working for their vested political interest.

"People should give them a befitting reply in the forthcoming Assembly elections, Apang, the longest serving chief minister of the state said.

APCC President Takam Sanjoy alleged that the recommendation he made to the government when he was the chairman of the Joint High Power Committee (JHPC), constituted to study the PRC issue for four years, was wrongly uploaded in social media by the present government.

"My recommendations were edited and posted in social media by the present government to distract the attention of the people from the real facts. It was Khandu and Mein who openly announced in public meetings to grant PRC to non-Arunachalees residing in Changlang and Namsai districts as New Year gift, for which the situation turned worse last month," he said.

Sanjoy added that the next stage of democratic movement against the government would be chalked out soon after meeting of all opposition parties.

He also cautioned that if the demands were not met, the opposition parties could lay siege to the state civil secretariat.