Guwahati: The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Chakma and Hajong CBOs of Arunachal Pradesh has called for a prompt, impartial and transparent investigation into the incidents during the hearing of Form 6, Form 7 and Form 8 applications at Bordumsa on September 3 and 4.
In a statement on Sunday, JAC chairman Mahendra Chakma condemned the disruption of the electoral hearing, alleged assault on the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), damage to government property, communal provocation, violence and reported display or use of firearms in and around the hearing venue.
The JAC said around 600 Chakma electors from Bijoypur-I, II and III had assembled peacefully outside Panchayat Hall, Bordumsa, on September 3 in connection with the hearing of their Form 6, Form 7 and Form 8 applications. The proceedings were later disrupted amid disturbance at the venue and were adjourned and rescheduled for September 4.
During the rescheduled hearing on September 4, a large crowd reportedly entered the ADC office chamber, which had been designated as the hearing venue. The JAC said there were reports that the ERO conducting the hearing was assaulted and official property, including the ADC vehicle, was damaged.
Applicants waiting outside the premises were reported to have remained peaceful. There were also reports of provocation and stone-pelting in the vicinity. As the gathering dispersed, communal slogans were reportedly raised on the public road, followed by a verbal exchange and a brief physical confrontation.
The JAC said there were also reports of firearms being displayed and sounds resembling gunfire before security personnel intervened and dispersed the gathering using tear gas. It made clear that these were reports and allegations requiring proper verification and investigation.
“The events occurred in a large and fluid gathering, and responsibility for any particular act, including any injury or damage, must be determined through a fair, impartial and lawful investigation based upon evidence,” the JAC said.
Mahendra Chakma said the JAC was saddened to learn that a member of AAPSU was reported to have sustained a head injury during Friday’s confrontation and wished him a swift and full recovery. He also said there had been reports of injuries to a few Chakma electors and wished them a speedy recovery.
JAC said it condemns, without qualification and irrespective of who may have been responsible, any disruption of a lawful electoral hearing, assault upon a public official in the discharge of duty, damage to government property, communal provocation, violence of any kind or display or use of firearms in or around a public hearing venue.
The committee also appreciated the restraint maintained by Chakma applicants and community leaders during the events of September 3 and 4, including in the face of reported provocation. It appealed to all sides to uphold peace and non-violence.
The JAC said it recognised that AAPSU and some members of the Singpho and Khamti communities may have genuine concerns regarding the Form 6, Form 7 and Form 8 hearing process and its implications. It said such concerns should be addressed through constitutional, administrative and lawful processes and not through confrontation, intimidation or disruption of electoral proceedings.
The committee called upon the district administration to conduct a prompt, impartial and transparent investigation and take appropriate action in accordance with law on the basis of the evidence collected.
It also invited the leadership of AAPSU, representatives of the Singpho and Khamti communities, Chakma and Hajong community representatives and the state administration to participate in a structured and facilitated dialogue at the earliest practicable opportunity.
The JAC appealed to the Chakma, Singpho, Khamti and other communities to maintain peace and restraint, refrain from retaliation or inflammatory rhetoric, avoid circulating unverified information on social media, and allow the lawful process of investigation and electoral adjudication to take its course.
The JAC said the communities of 49-Diyun-Bordumsa Assembly Constituency have distinct histories and may hold different views on the present electoral process. However, they share a common future built upon generations of coexistence, friendships, shared markets, institutions and everyday life as neighbours.
The committee said it remained committed to protecting that shared future and called upon all stakeholders to uphold peace, dignity and the rule of law for all.