PRC vandalism: BJP blames Congress for fomenting trouble

The Arunachal Pradesh unit of the BJP Thursday blamed the Congress for instigating people over the Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC) protests which claimed three lives besides leaving a trail of destruction in the state capital last month.

The development came a day after opposition parties including the Congress, Janata Dal (Secular), Peoples Party of Arunachal and National Peoples Party on Wednesday submitted a memorandum to Governor B D Mishra demanding resignation of Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein and Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju.

The opposition parties under the banner of All Party Coordination Committee (APCC) demanded the resignation of Khandu, Mein and Rijiju for their inability to control law and order situation during the mob frenzy.

"The Congress misled the youths, took advantage of the PRC issue and incited the youth, even school-going minors, to go on a massive rampage from February 22 to 24 last, BJP vice president Dominic Tadar told reporters at party office here, flanked by another VP Tame Phassang.

While condemning the opposition for making such demand, both the party leaders alleged that the PRC issue was a handiwork of the Congress.

"The opposition parties have no genuine issue to raise and hence demanded the resignation of Khandu, Mein and Rijiju," Tadar said.

The saffron party leaders also alleged that during the protests, only properties of BJP leaders were vandalised and looted but not of leaders from any of the opposition parties.

Was it a targeted protest or just a impossible coincidence?" Tadar asked.

Dismissing demands of resignation of Khandu, Mein and Rijiju, the party leaders said that investigations would be conducted to unearth the truth and bring the culprits to book.