Amid tension in BJP-ruled Arunachal Pradesh and blame game on for the violence over the vexed Permanent Residential Certificate (PRC) issue, Union Minister of State for Home and local MP Kiren Rijiju on Sunday called for amity and ensure peace in the state.
“Arunachal Pradesh State Govt has already passed an order not to accept PRC as recommended by
Joint High Power Committee (JHPC),” Mr Rijiju tweeted.
“Everyone must come together without blaming each other for the sake of peace. It’s very unfortunate that innocent lives were lost in the violence,” he said.
The missives from MoS Home came in the evening hours even as a number of top Congress leaders including Arunachal state unit chief Takam Sanjay and former Chief Minister Mukut Mithi have landed in Delhi.
An AICC source told UNI in Delhi – “Arunachal Pradesh Congress leaders have been summoned for discussions with the party high command. We may press for imposition of President’s Rule in the state”.
Earlier in the day, however, Mr Rijiju has, in another missive alleged that “the Congress Party supported and instigated Non-APSTs in Lekang to fight for PRC but in Itanagar misguided the innocent people”.
Widespread violence has been reported in Itanagar and other areas since the state government announced it was considering issuing PRC to six non-Arunachal Scheduled Tribes (APSTs), sources said.
Mr Rijiju, who represents Arunachal West parliamentary constituency, also wrote – “From the beginning I have strongly urged the state government not to grant PRC unless people are convinced of full protection of indigenous rights. We must stand united”.
On Friday, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Pema Khandu over the phone and “discussed” the prevailing situation and ongoing protest in certain parts of the state.
The Home Minster had also urged the people to remain calm and maintain peace in the state.
One person was reportedly killed and several others injured in the protest against the government’s move “initially” to grant permanent resident certificate to six non-tribal communities in the state.
Rijiju also said that the state CM Pema Khandu has clarified that the BJP government “was not bringing bill on PRC” but only tabling the report of Nabam Rebia-led JHPC consisting members & student organizations.
“It means the state government has not accepted it. In fact, Congress Party is fighting for PRC but (also) instigating people wrongly,” he alleged in a tweet in the morning hours.
In 2014 assembly polls in the state, Congress had won a massive victory winning 42 of 60 seats. But in 2016-17, there was mass defection and BJP strength in December 2017 had gone up to 48.
