ES Reporter

ITANAGAR, May 5:Hundreds of students under the banner of student union movement of all Arunachal (SUMAA) took to the street to protest against the government’s move to create separate Mon and Patkai autonomous council.

The mass vehicle rally which started from Chimpu, Itanagar early this morning at around 8 am culminated at Kankarnallah, Naharlagun.

Speaking to reporters at Kankarnallah, Nirjuli, President, SUMAA, Tame Tagru said that the rally was organized so that the people will never allow the government to give more special status to the two districts, which is already getting special attention and separate funds from central government in terms of overall developments from education and health  sector etc in the region.

Justifying his stand, Tagru alleged that the government is intentionally overlooking the burning issue despite appeals from all section of society that granting autonomous district in favour of the two districts will surely endorse more communities of the state to seek autonomy.

Tagru said that the organization has written several representation and memorandum to the state government, but in spite of opposition and appeals from masses government has turned a deaf ear towards the demands of the organization, whose sole motive is only to protect the division of indigenous territory in the state.

Speaking to reporters, Assistant General Secretary (admin), Koje Hangam alleged that the government has failed to clarify its stand on the issue of Autonomous District Councils for the Mon and Patkai region despite demands of white paper on whole controversial issue by the union.

 Criticizing the plan of government to grant an Autonomous District Council to Mon region (Tawang & West Kameng) and Patkai (Tirap, Changlang & Longding) regions, Hangam opined that if government grants full autonomy to Tawang, then one day if  in future China gives independence to Tibet, then Tawang being the land of Buddhist will merge into Tibet.

He also went on to say that giving full autonomy to Patkai compromising sensitive border districts like TCL is likely to give extra mileage to the insurgents to take control of sensitive border area, which is already reeling under insurgent activities since time immemorial.

Calling the idea an anti-Arunachal move with an intention to divide the indigenous land, Hangan further said the organization will continue their protest against the government and will conduct awareness programs and protest rallies in every district against the burning issue.

SUMAA further also confirmed that if government fails to rollback any policy decision in the matter, it will pursue the matter with central government and will organize mass protest in Delhi too.

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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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