'Arunachal Pradesh will observe Black Day during PM visit'

8th February 2019

Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee President Takam Sanjoy addressed media persons at Arunachal House, New Delhi today and made the following statement;

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi ‘s visit tomorrow to Arunachal Pradesh will be observed as Black Day by the Congress Party and representatives of various NGOs and Civil Society , for his gross failure to bring development to the state during his tenure which is nearing its end. In his previous two visits, the Prime Minister inaugurated the projects sanctioned and implemented during the UPA regime and failed to announce even a single special project or fund for the development of the same.

This visit will also be same as he has come to inaugurate many projects like the Paro Hydro Power Project, Tezu Airport among others which were granted to the state by UPA. The protest will be significant as the PM comes against the backdrop of the growing angst against The Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016 (CAB), which is the most Draconian Law of the Century. While successive Congress Governments at the Centre have tried to nurture, strengthen and further the tribal aspirations of Arunachal Pradesh against all odds, the Modi Government for its petty political gains has introduced CAB, which is in direct violation of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India.

This singular attempt of the NDA Government to define and allot citizenship on religious lines thus defying the very Constitution of India will result in destroying the very socio-political and cultural fabric of the emerging progressive tribal society in the State. A mistake of this magnitude will put generations into destruction and will give easy license to refugees, foreigners and illegal migrants.

The CAB has nullified the provisions of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act, 1873 and Chin Hills Regulation Act, 1896 – historic acts which have so far guided the evolution of the state. The CAB has to be stopped anyhow to protect the interests of Arunachal Pradesh, lest it escalates into a situation beyond control. Therefore, our protest tomorrow will be characterized by black flags and black balloons – black being the symbol of darkness which the Modi Government has thrust upon the people of the state for petty political adventures.

Moreover, the Greenfield Airport which the Prime Minister is scheduled to lay the Foundation of has not been in reality sanction by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India. The exact official status is that it has been passed by the Project Investment Board (PIB) of the GoI only and has not gone through the process of sanction at all. I question the PM as to how he can lay the Foundation of a project without the sanction of the GoI and its related agencies?

The land compensation of Rs. 175 Crores given so far is from the coffers of the State Government whereas as per rule Land Compensation has to be given by the Centre. All these anomalies point to the desperation of the NDA Government to prove a point with hollow intentions for Arunachal Pradesh marked by mere tokenism and not substance.

The people of Arunachal Pradesh have not forgotten how the NDA Government at the Centre hijacked the popularly elected Congress Government in the state by misusing the Institution of the Governor, manipulating a majority on the floor of the Assembly and finally culminating in the death of senior political leader Late Kalikho Pul . Late Pul’s suicide is nothing but an indirect political murder of a leader of Arunachal Pradesh by the BJP Party and its national leaders including PM and Amit Shah.

The Congress MLAs were lured to the BJP fold with tall promises of development funds but today it is lamentable that neither a single promise has been fulfilled nor a single penny for development has flown into their constituencies. History will not forget the way in which erstwhile Governor JP Rajkhowa was used and sacked in the entire process.

After all, a gentleman from the North East was appointed Governor and his unceremonious sacking speaks volumes about BJPs insensitivity towards the dignity of NE people. On the eve of the Prime Ministers’ last visit as a PM for the last time as the defeat of NDA is a foregone conclusion , people should come out in huge numbers to register their protest against the NDA Government “.

Place: New Delhi
Issued by: Office of Arunachal PCC President,
Camp – New Delhi