ES Reporter

ITANAGAR, Sep 10: The roads in the  twin capital cities  wore a deserted look on Monday and business establishments including banks, educational institutions, and government departments remaining closed in response to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) call for “Bharat Bandh”, in protest against the spiraling fuel prices and rupee depreciation.

It is reported that thousands of Congress party activists were detained by police across the districts while enforcing the 8-hour bandh. 73 activists including senior Congress Mahila Morcha, NSUI and Youth Congress leaders were also arrested as a precautionary measure by capital police and later released on bail in the evening.

Terming the bandh a “total success”, APCC president, Takam Sanjoy, who rushed to the police station, to bail out the arrested activists while interacting with media persons thanked the masses for the spontaneous support which made the bandh a grand success.

Taking a dig at NDA government, Sanjoy alleged that soaring fuel prices is drilling a hole in the pockets of the common man and the BJP government at the Centre is less concerned about the woes of the public.

“The BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president, Amit Shah along with his associates by increasing the prices of fuel is indirectly extorting the hard-earned money of public to invest in upcoming 2019 assembly election,” Sanjoy alleged.

  “If the situation continues to be like this then prices of fuel will very soon touch Rs 100 as the Indian currency plunges further to hit 100 to a dollar mark,” he observed. 

He also quashed the clarification given by BJP Govt. over the unrelenting hike in fuel price due to inflation of crude oil in the international market and asked both Central and state governments to reduce all local taxes and VAT on fuels to control the prices to some extent. 

Meanwhile, the Superintendent of Police, Capital Complex, M Harsh Vardhan has been accused of using foul language against Mahila Congress activists and manhandling few activists without any provocation during a peaceful sit-in protest organized at Petrol Pump C-Sector in the morning hours.

In a complaint to Director General of Police, Takam Sanjoy while terming such unruly behaviour from an IPS officer very “uncalled for” has asked DGP  to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the SP. In the meantime, he also asked the SP to tender a public apology for committing the misbehaviour within  24 hour and threatened to resort to democratic stir if not done so.

The APCC chief observed that no doubt police has legitimate right to arrest a criminal and to interrogate him during the investigation of an offence, but on the other hand, the law also does not permit  police to manhandle and use abusive languages against peaceful protesters which is their democratic right. 

He said that a proper and effective inquiry be carried out against the SP and appropriate action must be initiated against him for violating the ethos of being a top administrative officer.

Narrating the whole incident, All India Mahila Congress Committee, General Secretary, Jarjum Ete informed that the incident happened in the morning when activists gathered at Petrol Pump C-sector and were preparing banners.

She informed that after arriving at the depot, the SP without any provocation started shouting at the protesters using foul language to move away from the depot. “The SP who came in his official vehicle at the spot in full speed also nearly killed few of the women activists sitting nearby,” she added.

Meanwhile, in view of the Bandh call given by the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) as a part of the Bharat Bandh called by All India Congress Committee, the Deputy Commissioner Capital Complex informed that two cases have been registered, one each in Itanagar PS and Naharlagun PS and 18 persons were arrested. 

Further,66 more persons were detained and were released later on PR bond, the SP also informed.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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