Guwahati: The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Monday levelled serious allegations against the BJP governments at the Centre and in the state, accusing them of presiding over a Rs 130-crore land compensation irregularity linked to the Lada–Sarli segment of the Arunachal Frontier Highway.
Speaking at a press briefing, APCC president Bosiram Siram termed the case one of the biggest land compensation scandals in Arunachal Pradesh and said the matter demanded urgent intervention and accountability. He alleged that the alleged wrongdoing went far beyond procedural errors and reflected a systematic operation involving manipulated land records, bogus claims, exaggerated compensation amounts, and diversion of public funds.
According to Siram, such large-scale financial irregularities could not have taken place without political backing or deliberate inaction at senior levels of governance. He argued that the magnitude of the alleged scam pointed to institutional failure and possible patronage rather than isolated administrative lapses.
The Congress leader called on the state government to release a detailed white paper within one month. He said the document should clearly outline the land acquisition process, verification mechanisms, beneficiary identification, compensation disbursement, and the responsibilities of both officials and political authorities involved in the project.
Escalating the political attack, Siram demanded the resignation of Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, Chief Minister Pema Khandu, and Home Minister Mama Natung, holding them morally and politically accountable for the alleged irregularities. He dismissed attempts to place sole responsibility on bureaucrats, asserting that officials act under political direction and cannot be made scapegoats.
Siram further maintained that corruption of such magnitude in a nationally significant infrastructure project inevitably involves approval failures and oversight lapses at the highest levels. He stressed that stepping down was necessary to ensure an impartial, transparent, and credible investigation.
The APCC also sought a court-monitored independent inquiry into the matter, recovery of the allegedly misused funds, and stringent action against all those involved, including beneficiaries and conspirators, regardless of their position or influence.