ITANAGAR, Apr 10:

 

Traffic was chock-a-block for close to two hours in the heart of Itanagar, as members of the Galo community in large numbers took to the street in protest against the government’s delay in posting Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police at Likabali to formalise the functioning of Lower Siang district today.  

The rally in Itanagar which coincided with the second phase of 36 hours bandh in all the Galo inhabited areas starting Monday morning, was orchestrated by Galo People’s Front (GPF) and Galo Student’s Union (GSU) with strong endorsement from its parent body- Galo Welfare Society (GWS).

 

And while larger chunk of the rally participants were drawn from the community members residing here in the state capital, there were also significant participants from other areas, particularly Likabali Assembly Constituency and the Nari-Koyu Assembly Constituency. These included various senior government officials along with various other government servants, students, public leaders and general masses.

 

Meanwhile, bearing the sizzling heat and arduously parading along the Highway for some more than 3 hours, the rallyists chanted slogans against the government for the delay in posting a DC and SP at Likabali, all the while waving black flags as mark of protest. “Post a DC and SP immediately at Likabali,” “Justice delayed is justice denied,” were some of the notable slogans chanted by the rallyists.  

 

Later, culminating at Tennis Court, several speakers took turns to highlight grievances against the government on the issue of the delay in formalising the Lower Siang district.

 

Of these, Sengo Taipodia, chairman of the District Demand Joint Action Committee for Lower Siang while dwelling on the long history of the Lower Siang issue demanded the government to fulfil their demand for immediate formalisation of the same failing which, he warned that the movement would only escalate.

 

Sharing Taipodia’s sentiment was GWS president Dr Mitum Boje, who while expressing regret and resentment over the delay in formalisation of Lower Siang district asserted that, “in its formalisation, Government would not only be catering to the needs of the Galos but rather help itself in tackling the boundary disputes with its Assam counterpart in the foothill areas.”

 

Still yet, stronger condemnation of the government’s alleged ‘lackadaisical attitude’ on the Lower Siang issue came in from the GWS General Secretary, Dr Minge Loyi and GPF president Nyadaar Loya with both lambasting the government for what they termed ‘systematic marginalisation of the Galo community.’

 

In this, a seemingly infuriated Dr Loyi while sharing that the Lower Siang issue has now entered its 23^rd year and that the government is still citing reasons to stall the formalisation, asserted that, “We the Galos have been undermined and subsequently marginalised for far too long by the government.” Accordingly, exhorting his community members to “come together to restore pride and dignity of the community,” the GWS general secretary also went on to appeal on the government to heed to their demands before movement escalates.

 

On his part, the GPF president Loya declared a timeline of one week for the Government to pay heed to their demand, failing which, he added that a systematic movement by the Galos would be initiated against the government in general and the Galo legislators in particular.

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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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